The fate of a country ever saved by a messenger?

Question

Are there any examples in history in which one message altered a movement (war, strategy, invasion, massacre, etc) so much that it changed the fate of a country, and the world today?

For example: [this isn't true] The country of Zebu's fate rested on Mr. Z's army. They were down on supplies, etc, but luckily, one remaining messenger survived the Yebu enemy's trap and was able to carry on the message to Mr. Z saying that they are heading into a trap.

That message saved the whole of Zebu. Without it, the powerful country of Zebu wouldn't exist.

Something like that. I'm writing an essay on how one little message can impact the world to HUGE limits

Thank you so much!

Wow! You guys make my choice of picking very hard!

Thank you so much guys for answering.

Answer 1

Saved - - - - hmmm - - - so many factors get thrown into the mix that it is tricky to isolate a few simple words. As noted the Spanish Armada was the result of many messages at first alerting England to Spain's intentions and then when the Armada was sighted there is the famous tale of a messenger bringing word to Sir Francis Drake & Charles Howard Lord High Admiral and others and being in the midst of a game of bowls (nine pins, lawn style), Drake acted nonchalent and said they had time to finnish their game/// \\\..

A hasty message 'lost' England to the Normans. When Harold of Wessex heard the news that William the B^stard had landed on the Southern Coas he hurried to give battle setting a land speed record unchallenged to this day but in his haste his army was exhausted and they were defeaed. If only that messenger had dallied a day or two.

Here is it is I finally dredged it from memory and will back it up with link and words. Naturally the Stars & Bars crowd will loudly condem me but here it is.
At the Battle of Chickamunga the Army of the Cumberland was on th verge of being routed, wipred out. It was future President then Colonel James Garfield who risked hostile to fire to deliver a criticial message. It is conceivable that had the South won at Chickamunga (yes, I know, try finding it on a map), but still HAD the destroyed the Army of the Cumberland then The South may have secured the border states of Tennessee and Kentucky and retaken Missouri.

There are other examples but I have blathered enough; Lord Nelson's messages to his fleet as well as the messenger, a ship's Captain who brought the News, 'The French are Out,' saved England countless times.

http://www.jamesgarfield.org/
""After the Union loss at the Battle of Chickamauga, Garfield volunteered to take news of the defeat to General George H. Thomas, who held the left of the line. It was a bold ride, under constant fire, but he reached Thomas and gave the information that saved the Army of the Cumberland. For this action he was made a major general on September 19, 1863, promoted for gallantry on a field that was lost. With a future military career so bright before him, Garfield, always unselfish, yielded his own ambition to a request by Mr. Lincoln that he hasten to Washington to sit in Congress. Garfield had been chosen fifteen months before as the successor of Joshua R. Giddings. """

Peace--------------------

First Answerer hits the money with Revere's Ride, though that is more a case of giving birth to a nation, however for those who LOVE Thomas Jefferson, there is a famous incident when he was Governor of Virginia and a messenger brought notice, just in the nick of time, that the British were in the neighborhood prepared to capture him. He got out fast.

Answer 2

September 13, 1862 General Robert E. Lee's
" Special Order 191 " fell into the hands of the Union Army. It detailed the detachments and marching orders of the Army of Northern Virginia, which the Union Army had lost track of.
With this intelligence, General George McClellan was able to make a concentrated strike at Lee's army that culminated in the Battle of Antietam four days later. This battle ended Lee's first invasion of the North and probably sealed the fate of the Southern cause.
The circumstances of how this order, one of the most pivotal documents in U.S. history, came into Union hands, is still cloaked in mystery.

Answer 3

Well there are any number of times when information of an invasion have halted it.

What if the English hadn't been ready for the Spanish Armada?
What if they hadn't got the message out that the British were coming?