A Message to Garcia

In 1898, the explosion of the American warship Maine in Havana Harbor sparks the Spanish-American War. The incident serves as the catalyst for U.S. military and political action. The scene is framed by the tensions at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

President McKinley calls First Lieutenant Andrew S. Rowan to the White House and entrusts him with a crucial diplomacy-mission. He is given a message that must be personally delivered to General Calixto García. The mission is presented as sensitive and high-stakes.

Rowan travels to British Jamaica, disguising himself as a Canadian merchant sailor. He joins the crew of a neutral British ship bound for Cuba. The journey marks the first leg of his secret delivery route.

Spanish interests hire Dr. Ivan Krug, a cynical operative, to identify the American and halt his progress. Krug boards the same British ship, bringing a dangerous cat-and-mouse dynamic to the voyage. The mission is compromised from within.

Under cover and pursued, Rowan jumps ship at night and slips into the Cuban interior. He begins a perilous trek to reach García without being detected. The crossing marks a turning point toward the execution of his mission.

In Cuba, Rowan meets Sergeant Dory, a deserter from the U.S. Marines who agrees to help. Dory serves as a tough, pragmatic guide through hostile territory. Together, they seek the home of a Cuban patriot who knows García's whereabouts.

Spanish soldiers kill the patriot who could point them toward García. Rowan, Dory, and the patriot’s daughter, Rafaelita Maderos, press on with a growing sense of urgency. Their path is filled with ambushes and the dangers of war.

The trio receives aid from local Cuban patriots and encounters Henry Piper, a British merchant lost in the Cuban interior. Piper’s presence offers a glimmer of international involvement. The group continues toward García’s supposed headquarters.

Krug’s pursuit forces the travelers to hide in a swamp as Spanish troops close in. Maderos is wounded, and Dory personally removes the bullet to save her. The danger heightens the stakes for Rowan’s mission.

Rowan must press on without Maderos, who remains behind to recover. Dory stays to protect her as long as possible, but Maderos urges him to pursue Rowan to ensure the message reaches García. The burden of the mission weighs heavily on both men and the mission.

Dory guides Rowan across an alligator-infested river and past remaining patrols, bringing him to what he believes are García’s headquarters. Dory then departs, unaware that the Spaniards have already taken the stronghold. The destination turns out to be a trap.

Rowan falls into Spanish hands and Krug begins a brutal interrogation to uncover the hidden message. The fate of the mission hinges on whether the message survives the tortures. Meanwhile, Dory is captured by Cuban rebels while trying to rescue him.

Dory appeals to García for help to rescue Rowan, but García initially refuses. Piper’s testimony convinces García to act, and a rescue plan is set in motion. Dory faces execution as a consequence of his earlier actions, steadfast in his loyalty.

In the climactic rescue, Dory sacrifices himself to save Rowan from the Spaniards. Rowan is freed and returns to the fight, his resolve strengthened by Dory’s courage. The rebels mount a major assault to break the siege.

Rowan finally presents McKinley’s letter to García. García proclaims that the message signifies the liberation of their people, marking a pivotal moment in the Cuban struggle. The mission ends with a symbolic victory, confirming the alliance between the U.S. and Cuban patriots.