Posted on Sep 22, 2020
Nathan Hale is executed by the British for spying
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On September 22, 1776, Nathan Hale, US captain/patriot/spy, was hanged by the British for spying at the age of 21 From the article:
"Nathan Hale is executed by the British for spying
In New York City on September 22, 1776, Nathan Hale, a Connecticut schoolteacher and captain in the Continental Army, is executed by the British for spying.
A graduate of Yale University, Hale joined a Connecticut regiment in 1775 and served in the successful siege of British-occupied Boston. On September 10, 1776, he volunteered to cross behind British lines on Long Island to spy on the British in preparation for the Battle of Harlem Heights.
Disguised as a Dutch schoolmaster, the Yale-educated Hale slipped behind British lines on Long Island and successfully gathered information about British troop movements for the next several weeks. While Hale was behind enemy lines, the British invaded the island of Manhattan; they took control of the city on September 15, 1776. When the city was set on fire on September 20, British soldiers were told to look out for sympathizers to the Patriot cause. The following evening, September 21, Hale was captured while sailing Long Island Sound, trying to cross back into American-controlled territory. Although rumors surfaced that Hale was betrayed by his first cousin and British Loyalist Samuel Hale, the exact circumstances of Hale’s capture have never been discovered.
Hale was interrogated by British General William Howe and, when it was discovered that he was carrying incriminating documents, General Howe ordered his execution for spying, which was set for the following morning. After being led to the gallows, legend holds that the 21-year-old Hale said, “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.” There is no historical record to prove that Hale actually made this statement, but, if he did, he may have been inspired by these lines in English author Joseph Addison’s 1713 play Cato: 'What a pity it is/That we can die but once to serve our country.'”
"Nathan Hale is executed by the British for spying
In New York City on September 22, 1776, Nathan Hale, a Connecticut schoolteacher and captain in the Continental Army, is executed by the British for spying.
A graduate of Yale University, Hale joined a Connecticut regiment in 1775 and served in the successful siege of British-occupied Boston. On September 10, 1776, he volunteered to cross behind British lines on Long Island to spy on the British in preparation for the Battle of Harlem Heights.
Disguised as a Dutch schoolmaster, the Yale-educated Hale slipped behind British lines on Long Island and successfully gathered information about British troop movements for the next several weeks. While Hale was behind enemy lines, the British invaded the island of Manhattan; they took control of the city on September 15, 1776. When the city was set on fire on September 20, British soldiers were told to look out for sympathizers to the Patriot cause. The following evening, September 21, Hale was captured while sailing Long Island Sound, trying to cross back into American-controlled territory. Although rumors surfaced that Hale was betrayed by his first cousin and British Loyalist Samuel Hale, the exact circumstances of Hale’s capture have never been discovered.
Hale was interrogated by British General William Howe and, when it was discovered that he was carrying incriminating documents, General Howe ordered his execution for spying, which was set for the following morning. After being led to the gallows, legend holds that the 21-year-old Hale said, “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.” There is no historical record to prove that Hale actually made this statement, but, if he did, he may have been inspired by these lines in English author Joseph Addison’s 1713 play Cato: 'What a pity it is/That we can die but once to serve our country.'”
Nathan Hale is executed by the British for spying
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War of Independence
Spying
Death Penalty
American History
Military History
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HistoryBee highlights the life of Nathan Hale: America's first spy.
Thank you my friend SGT (Join to see) for making us aware that on September 22, 1776 U.S. captain/patriot/spy, Nathan Hale was hanged by the British for spying at the age of 21.
HistoryBee highlights the life of Nathan Hale: America's first spy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME4Kxv5HkQs
Images:
1. 1776-09-22 Last Words of Captain Nathan Hale, the Hero-Martyr of the American Revolution - New York as he was hung as a spy on September 22, 1776
2. 1856 Illustration of Nathan Hale approaching the British in 1776 from Life of Captain Nathan Hale, the Martyr Spy of the American Revolution by Isaac William Stuart, 1856
3. 1922-25 U.S. #551 Series of 1922-25 one half ¢ Nathan Hale
4. Nathan Hale 'I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.'
Background from {[ https://connecticuthistory.org/nathan-hale-the-man-and-the-legend/]}
Nathan Hale: The Man and the Legend
By Nancy Finlay
He never lived in the Nathan Hale Homestead. There is no credible proof he ever said, “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.” The portrait of the handsome young spy that everyone knows is the invention of a 20th-century sculptor. So who was Nathan Hale?
Nathan Hale was born in Coventry on June 6, 1755. In 1773, he graduated Yale College and got a job as a schoolmaster in a small school in East Haddam. The following year he obtained a better position at a private academy in New London. One year later, the American Revolution began.
News of the battles of Lexington and Concord quickly reached Connecticut. Two of Hale’s brothers marched off to Massachusetts with the Connecticut militia; Hale himself enlisted a few weeks later, on July 6, 1775. By the time he joined Washington’s army in Cambridge, the Battle of Bunker Hill was over and the two armies were in a state of stalemate, which lasted until the British evacuated Boston in March 1776.
A Schoolteacher Becomes a Spy
Washington soon began transferring troops to New York, where he expected the next British attack to take place. The Battle of Brooklyn Heights at the end of August 1776 left the British in control of Long Island, with Washington and his army holed up in Manhattan and badly in need of reliable information about the opposing forces. Washington began recruiting spies. Although spying was not considered a very honorable occupation for a gentleman, Hale had been in the army for over a year and had yet to see any action. He decided to volunteer.
Hale left New York and traveled to Norwalk, Connecticut, where he arranged passage across Long Island Sound. He left his uniform, commission, and official papers behind in Norwalk, and, dressed as a schoolmaster in a plain brown suit and a round hat, landed in Huntington, Long Island. He should have made a convincing schoolmaster since he taught school for two years before joining the army, but he asked too many questions and soon aroused suspicion. In conversation with a British agent posing as an American sympathizer, he revealed his mission and British authorities promptly arrested him.
In the few days that Hale had been absent, Washington’s troops retreated again and the British occupied New York. Hale was brought to General Howe’s headquarters at what is now First Avenue and 51st Street, and promptly condemned to death. The following morning, September 22, he was taken to the artillery park at what is now Third Avenue and 66th Street and, after mounting a ladder, was hanged from a tree. The British buried his body nearby. Contemporary accounts indicate that he met his death with great resolution and composure.
How History Remembers Nathan Hale
Hale was not a very good spy, but he was a patriotic and likeable young man with many good friends who, over the years, kept his memory alive. It was one of his college friends who attributed to him his famous last words, “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.” The words are from Joseph Addison’s play Cato, and though the play was a favorite of Hale and his friends when at Yale, there is no reason to think that Hale spoke them at his execution.
Over the years, as his story was told and retold, history transformed Hale from an obscure and unsuccessful spy into a symbol of selfless sacrifice in the service of his country. Cities such as New Haven, Hartford, and New York erected statues of Hale. Since no contemporary likeness survived, the sculptors created idealized portraits of heroic young men. Perhaps the most famous of these statues is the one by Bela Lyon Pratt (1913) outside Connecticut Hall at Yale, where Hale lived as a student.
Hale’s parents built what is now the Hale Homestead in Coventry in 1776, on the site of an earlier house where their son Nathan had been born. Antiquarian George Dudley Seymour acquired the house in the early 20th century and restored it as a shrine to Hale’s memory. Connecticut Landmarks acquired the property in the 1940s. In 1985, a vote by the Connecticut legislature officially designated Nathan Hale as Connecticut’s state hero.
Nancy Finlay grew up in Manchester, Connecticut. She has a BA from Smith College and an MFA and PhD from Princeton University. From 1998 to 2015, she was Curator of Graphics at the Connecticut Historical Society."
Learn More
Places
Connecticut Landmarks. “Nathan Hale Homestead,” 2016. Link.
The Connecticut Society of the Sons of the American Revoultion. “Nathan Hale Schoolhouse - East Haddam,” 2016. Link.
The Connecticut Society of the Sons of the American Revoultion. “Nathan Hale Schoolhouse - New London,” 2016. Link.
Documents
Connecticut Historical Society Library Catalog. “Catalog Record of the Nathan Hale Collection, 1772-1955,” 2013. Link.
Connecticut Historical Society Library Catalog. “Catalog Record of the Nathan Hale Diary, 1775-1776,” 2013. Link.
Yale University, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library. “Nathan Hale Correspondence - Digital Collections,” 2013. Link.
Books
Seymour, George Dudley. Documentary Life of Nathan Hale, Comprising All Available Official and Private Documents Bearing on the Life of the Patriot, Together with an Appendix, Showing the Background of His Life. New Haven, CT: Privately Printed for the Author, 1941.
Stuart, Isaac William. Life of Captain Nathan Hale, the Martyr Spy of the American Revolution, Etc. Hartford, CT: F. A. Brown, 1856. Link.
Lossing, Benson John. The Two Spies: Nathan Hale and John André. New York, NY: D. Appleton and Company, 1886. Link.
Rose, Alexander. Washington’s Spies: The Story of America’s First Spy Ring. New York, NY: Bantam Books, 2006.
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj Kim Patterson SMSgt Lawrence McCarter MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi GySgt Thomas Vick SSG Stephen Rogerson SSG Robert Mark Odom CPL Dave Hoover Cpl (Join to see) SGT Robert Pryor SGT Denny Espinosa SPC Woody Bullard TSgt David L. PO2 (Join to see) LTC Greg Henning SP5 Dennis Loberger
HistoryBee highlights the life of Nathan Hale: America's first spy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME4Kxv5HkQs
Images:
1. 1776-09-22 Last Words of Captain Nathan Hale, the Hero-Martyr of the American Revolution - New York as he was hung as a spy on September 22, 1776
2. 1856 Illustration of Nathan Hale approaching the British in 1776 from Life of Captain Nathan Hale, the Martyr Spy of the American Revolution by Isaac William Stuart, 1856
3. 1922-25 U.S. #551 Series of 1922-25 one half ¢ Nathan Hale
4. Nathan Hale 'I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.'
Background from {[ https://connecticuthistory.org/nathan-hale-the-man-and-the-legend/]}
Nathan Hale: The Man and the Legend
By Nancy Finlay
He never lived in the Nathan Hale Homestead. There is no credible proof he ever said, “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.” The portrait of the handsome young spy that everyone knows is the invention of a 20th-century sculptor. So who was Nathan Hale?
Nathan Hale was born in Coventry on June 6, 1755. In 1773, he graduated Yale College and got a job as a schoolmaster in a small school in East Haddam. The following year he obtained a better position at a private academy in New London. One year later, the American Revolution began.
News of the battles of Lexington and Concord quickly reached Connecticut. Two of Hale’s brothers marched off to Massachusetts with the Connecticut militia; Hale himself enlisted a few weeks later, on July 6, 1775. By the time he joined Washington’s army in Cambridge, the Battle of Bunker Hill was over and the two armies were in a state of stalemate, which lasted until the British evacuated Boston in March 1776.
A Schoolteacher Becomes a Spy
Washington soon began transferring troops to New York, where he expected the next British attack to take place. The Battle of Brooklyn Heights at the end of August 1776 left the British in control of Long Island, with Washington and his army holed up in Manhattan and badly in need of reliable information about the opposing forces. Washington began recruiting spies. Although spying was not considered a very honorable occupation for a gentleman, Hale had been in the army for over a year and had yet to see any action. He decided to volunteer.
Hale left New York and traveled to Norwalk, Connecticut, where he arranged passage across Long Island Sound. He left his uniform, commission, and official papers behind in Norwalk, and, dressed as a schoolmaster in a plain brown suit and a round hat, landed in Huntington, Long Island. He should have made a convincing schoolmaster since he taught school for two years before joining the army, but he asked too many questions and soon aroused suspicion. In conversation with a British agent posing as an American sympathizer, he revealed his mission and British authorities promptly arrested him.
In the few days that Hale had been absent, Washington’s troops retreated again and the British occupied New York. Hale was brought to General Howe’s headquarters at what is now First Avenue and 51st Street, and promptly condemned to death. The following morning, September 22, he was taken to the artillery park at what is now Third Avenue and 66th Street and, after mounting a ladder, was hanged from a tree. The British buried his body nearby. Contemporary accounts indicate that he met his death with great resolution and composure.
How History Remembers Nathan Hale
Hale was not a very good spy, but he was a patriotic and likeable young man with many good friends who, over the years, kept his memory alive. It was one of his college friends who attributed to him his famous last words, “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.” The words are from Joseph Addison’s play Cato, and though the play was a favorite of Hale and his friends when at Yale, there is no reason to think that Hale spoke them at his execution.
Over the years, as his story was told and retold, history transformed Hale from an obscure and unsuccessful spy into a symbol of selfless sacrifice in the service of his country. Cities such as New Haven, Hartford, and New York erected statues of Hale. Since no contemporary likeness survived, the sculptors created idealized portraits of heroic young men. Perhaps the most famous of these statues is the one by Bela Lyon Pratt (1913) outside Connecticut Hall at Yale, where Hale lived as a student.
Hale’s parents built what is now the Hale Homestead in Coventry in 1776, on the site of an earlier house where their son Nathan had been born. Antiquarian George Dudley Seymour acquired the house in the early 20th century and restored it as a shrine to Hale’s memory. Connecticut Landmarks acquired the property in the 1940s. In 1985, a vote by the Connecticut legislature officially designated Nathan Hale as Connecticut’s state hero.
Nancy Finlay grew up in Manchester, Connecticut. She has a BA from Smith College and an MFA and PhD from Princeton University. From 1998 to 2015, she was Curator of Graphics at the Connecticut Historical Society."
Learn More
Places
Connecticut Landmarks. “Nathan Hale Homestead,” 2016. Link.
The Connecticut Society of the Sons of the American Revoultion. “Nathan Hale Schoolhouse - East Haddam,” 2016. Link.
The Connecticut Society of the Sons of the American Revoultion. “Nathan Hale Schoolhouse - New London,” 2016. Link.
Documents
Connecticut Historical Society Library Catalog. “Catalog Record of the Nathan Hale Collection, 1772-1955,” 2013. Link.
Connecticut Historical Society Library Catalog. “Catalog Record of the Nathan Hale Diary, 1775-1776,” 2013. Link.
Yale University, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library. “Nathan Hale Correspondence - Digital Collections,” 2013. Link.
Books
Seymour, George Dudley. Documentary Life of Nathan Hale, Comprising All Available Official and Private Documents Bearing on the Life of the Patriot, Together with an Appendix, Showing the Background of His Life. New Haven, CT: Privately Printed for the Author, 1941.
Stuart, Isaac William. Life of Captain Nathan Hale, the Martyr Spy of the American Revolution, Etc. Hartford, CT: F. A. Brown, 1856. Link.
Lossing, Benson John. The Two Spies: Nathan Hale and John André. New York, NY: D. Appleton and Company, 1886. Link.
Rose, Alexander. Washington’s Spies: The Story of America’s First Spy Ring. New York, NY: Bantam Books, 2006.
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Nathan Hale | Who's Who in the American Revolution | AF-178
Who was Nathan Hale? His last words are famous even today, but what else did he do for the revolutionary cause? Join me today on this episode of the Ancestra...
Nathan Hale | Who's Who in the American Revolution | AF-178
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bEm6CtMDzo
Images:
1. Fort Nathan Hale, New Haven, Connecticut
2. Nathan Hale, Yale University, New Haven Connecticut
Background from {[http://totallyhistory.com/nathan-hale/]}
Nathan Hale
Nathan Hale delivered one of the most memorable lines in the history of the American Revolution. As a soldier for the Continental Army, Hale was captured during an intelligence operation in New York City. Upon the gallows, he allegedly stated “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.” Whether these words are verbatim or not, Hale is considered an American hero for his dedication to his country and willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of his beliefs.
His Early Years
Nathan Hale was born the sixth child of twelve in Coventry, Connecticut on June 6, 1755. He grew up on his family’s prosperous farm until leaving to attend school at Yale 13 years later with his older brother. During his enrollment, Hale belonged to a literary fraternity, Linonia, which examined issues of the day such as the ethics of slavery and other academic topics such as astronomy, literature and mathematics. While at Yale, Hale met and studied with Benjamin Tallmadge, who would significantly influence his perceptions and decisions later in his life.
Upon graduation in 1773, Hale became a schoolteacher in East Haddam followed by a posting in New London. During his tenure as a schoolteacher, Hale taught regular classes but also offered classes to young women of the town. During his college days, he often spoke on the inequality of education between men and women. When the Revolutionary War began in 1775, Hale joined the Connecticut militia and was elected first lieutenant. Despite his enlistment, rank and active service, Hale did not participate in military combat activities until 1776, although he spoke up on behalf of military action in community meetings.
Following his unit’s participation in the Siege of Boston, Hale, who did not participate, received a letter from his former classmate, Tallmadge, on July 4, 1775. In this letter, Tallmadge encouraged Hale to become an active militia member. Due to the inspiring nature of the letter, Hale accepted a commission as first lieutenant in a regiment stationed in Stamford, Connecticut under the command of Colonel Charles Webb.
Upon his enlistment, Hale’s regiment was stationed in New London before being ordered to Cambridge. In Cambridge, the regiment was attached to the left wing of the army commanded by General George Washington on September 14, 1775. Camping at the foot of Winter Hill, this portion of Washington’s army commanded the route from Charlestown, which was one of only two roads the British could use to exit Boston. On January 30, 1776, Hale’s regiment was moved to the right wing in Roxbury where they participated in successful actions in March to drive British troops out of Boston.
Intelligence Gathering
In the spring of 1776, the Continental Army moved forces to Manhattan to prevent the British from taking control of New York City. Hale’s regiment was one of the units assigned to this effort under the command of Washington. Washington sought a volunteer to go behind British lines and discover the location of the planned invasion. Hale, seeing the assignment as a patriotic opportunity, volunteered on September 8, 1776.
A few days later on September 12, Hale crossed enemy lines disguised as a Dutch schoolteacher, immediately placing his life at risk. As an enemy spy, his life was forfeit should he be caught by British forces. New York City fell on September 15 to British forces and Washington’s troops retreated to Manhattan Island’s north end. Hale remained in the British occupied southern tip of the island.
On September 21, the Great New York Fire of 1776 destroyed a quarter of the lower portion of Manhattan. After the fire, nearly 200 American partisans were arrested by the British. At the same time, Hale was caught in Flushing Bay near Queens, New York as he awaited his planned escape rendezvous. Upon capture, he was transported under heavy guard to British headquarters in New York. Accounts of the time indicate Hale was questioned by British General William Howe after his capture and that physical evidence was found on his person incriminating him as a spy. According to historical records, papers were discovered in Hale’s shoes detailed the information he had gathered, including sketches of British fortifications and notations of numbers and positions.
His Execution
Captured spies faced execution by hanging if they were found guilty of espionage activities by military judgment. Wartime standards did not require a formal trial for suspected spies. While awaiting execution overnight, Hale requested a Bible and a visit from a clergyman, but both requests were denied. Records indicate he also requested writing materials and penned two personal letters, which were destroyed after his death. On the morning of September 22, 1776, Hale faced his own execution. He was marched along Post Road to the Park of Artillery where the gallows waited. According to witness accounts and records of his execution, Hale spoke eloquently before his execution. According to many accounts, Hale stated “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.” After uttering his final words, Hale was hanged as punishment for spying.
The validity of Hale’s final words remains in question. While some accounts refer to his eloquence before his execution, the actual quote attributed to him comes from a secondary source. John Montresor, a British soldier who witnessed the execution, reportedly repeated Hale’s words to William Hull, an American officer. Hull then publicized Hale’s statement throughout the colonies. It served as inspiration to many and epitomized the dedication of many patriots of the time. Whether the famous quote is verbatim and accurate or not, Hale’s final moments conveyed the dedication he felt towards the quest for independence.
While Nathan Hale died at the early age of 21, his words resonated across the revolutionary efforts and throughout history. His passion and commitment to the cause of independence inspired many of his compatriots and served to motivate many others. Hale did not participate in many military actions during his brief military tenure, but willingness to take on a dangerous mission and his bravery in the face of execution earned him a place in American history as a martyred hero of the American Revolution.
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MSG Felipe De Leon BrownSPC Nancy GreeneSSG Franklin BriantTSgt David L.]MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D.SGT Denny EspinosaSGM Gerald FifeSFC Bernard WalkoMaj Wayne CristSGM Bill FrazerCSM (Join to see)SSG Jeffrey LeakePFC (Join to see)SPC Michael Duricko, Ph.DPFC (Join to see)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bEm6CtMDzo
Images:
1. Fort Nathan Hale, New Haven, Connecticut
2. Nathan Hale, Yale University, New Haven Connecticut
Background from {[http://totallyhistory.com/nathan-hale/]}
Nathan Hale
Nathan Hale delivered one of the most memorable lines in the history of the American Revolution. As a soldier for the Continental Army, Hale was captured during an intelligence operation in New York City. Upon the gallows, he allegedly stated “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.” Whether these words are verbatim or not, Hale is considered an American hero for his dedication to his country and willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of his beliefs.
His Early Years
Nathan Hale was born the sixth child of twelve in Coventry, Connecticut on June 6, 1755. He grew up on his family’s prosperous farm until leaving to attend school at Yale 13 years later with his older brother. During his enrollment, Hale belonged to a literary fraternity, Linonia, which examined issues of the day such as the ethics of slavery and other academic topics such as astronomy, literature and mathematics. While at Yale, Hale met and studied with Benjamin Tallmadge, who would significantly influence his perceptions and decisions later in his life.
Upon graduation in 1773, Hale became a schoolteacher in East Haddam followed by a posting in New London. During his tenure as a schoolteacher, Hale taught regular classes but also offered classes to young women of the town. During his college days, he often spoke on the inequality of education between men and women. When the Revolutionary War began in 1775, Hale joined the Connecticut militia and was elected first lieutenant. Despite his enlistment, rank and active service, Hale did not participate in military combat activities until 1776, although he spoke up on behalf of military action in community meetings.
Following his unit’s participation in the Siege of Boston, Hale, who did not participate, received a letter from his former classmate, Tallmadge, on July 4, 1775. In this letter, Tallmadge encouraged Hale to become an active militia member. Due to the inspiring nature of the letter, Hale accepted a commission as first lieutenant in a regiment stationed in Stamford, Connecticut under the command of Colonel Charles Webb.
Upon his enlistment, Hale’s regiment was stationed in New London before being ordered to Cambridge. In Cambridge, the regiment was attached to the left wing of the army commanded by General George Washington on September 14, 1775. Camping at the foot of Winter Hill, this portion of Washington’s army commanded the route from Charlestown, which was one of only two roads the British could use to exit Boston. On January 30, 1776, Hale’s regiment was moved to the right wing in Roxbury where they participated in successful actions in March to drive British troops out of Boston.
Intelligence Gathering
In the spring of 1776, the Continental Army moved forces to Manhattan to prevent the British from taking control of New York City. Hale’s regiment was one of the units assigned to this effort under the command of Washington. Washington sought a volunteer to go behind British lines and discover the location of the planned invasion. Hale, seeing the assignment as a patriotic opportunity, volunteered on September 8, 1776.
A few days later on September 12, Hale crossed enemy lines disguised as a Dutch schoolteacher, immediately placing his life at risk. As an enemy spy, his life was forfeit should he be caught by British forces. New York City fell on September 15 to British forces and Washington’s troops retreated to Manhattan Island’s north end. Hale remained in the British occupied southern tip of the island.
On September 21, the Great New York Fire of 1776 destroyed a quarter of the lower portion of Manhattan. After the fire, nearly 200 American partisans were arrested by the British. At the same time, Hale was caught in Flushing Bay near Queens, New York as he awaited his planned escape rendezvous. Upon capture, he was transported under heavy guard to British headquarters in New York. Accounts of the time indicate Hale was questioned by British General William Howe after his capture and that physical evidence was found on his person incriminating him as a spy. According to historical records, papers were discovered in Hale’s shoes detailed the information he had gathered, including sketches of British fortifications and notations of numbers and positions.
His Execution
Captured spies faced execution by hanging if they were found guilty of espionage activities by military judgment. Wartime standards did not require a formal trial for suspected spies. While awaiting execution overnight, Hale requested a Bible and a visit from a clergyman, but both requests were denied. Records indicate he also requested writing materials and penned two personal letters, which were destroyed after his death. On the morning of September 22, 1776, Hale faced his own execution. He was marched along Post Road to the Park of Artillery where the gallows waited. According to witness accounts and records of his execution, Hale spoke eloquently before his execution. According to many accounts, Hale stated “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.” After uttering his final words, Hale was hanged as punishment for spying.
The validity of Hale’s final words remains in question. While some accounts refer to his eloquence before his execution, the actual quote attributed to him comes from a secondary source. John Montresor, a British soldier who witnessed the execution, reportedly repeated Hale’s words to William Hull, an American officer. Hull then publicized Hale’s statement throughout the colonies. It served as inspiration to many and epitomized the dedication of many patriots of the time. Whether the famous quote is verbatim and accurate or not, Hale’s final moments conveyed the dedication he felt towards the quest for independence.
While Nathan Hale died at the early age of 21, his words resonated across the revolutionary efforts and throughout history. His passion and commitment to the cause of independence inspired many of his compatriots and served to motivate many others. Hale did not participate in many military actions during his brief military tenure, but willingness to take on a dangerous mission and his bravery in the face of execution earned him a place in American history as a martyred hero of the American Revolution.
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
Studied the heck out of him going through the Connecticut elementary school system.
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