A method for transferring messages across a communication network is disclosed. A message being received at a message source from a sending application program is segmented into message segments. While this segmentation is occurring, a common message identifier and a unique sequence number are assigned to each message segment. The message segments are transferred from the message source to a message destination, with at least one of the message segments being transferred as the message is being received at the message source. Prior to the entire message being received at the message source and segmented, message segments that have already been segmented from the message are transferred to the message destination. At the message destination, the message segments are received and assembled into a reassembled message A portion of the reassembled message is delivered to a receiving application while the assembling is occurring.