Meet Nathan Hale, we are cousins, we share the same Grandfather several generations back. No big surprise on my mom's side we have a lot of family that were around during the building of the country we now know. Nathan Hale is a pretty remarkable guy. He is known as the first Spy in the country.
Nathan was born in 1755, to Deacon Richard Hale and Elizabeth Strong. He grew up in Conventry Connecticut. Nathan is the Great Grandson of Reverend John Hale (this is how i found the connection to my family). Richard was the man who was very influential during the Salem witch trials, as a supporter. Though towards the end turned against them when a family member was accused, which lead to him opening his eyes to pretty much how they were not what they were said to be. Having a family member accused of being a witch can change your mind of things!
Nathan Grew up in his family's homestead, as pictured below. He lived there until he was
fourteen years old, before being sent off to school at Yale with his older brother Enoch (16 at the time). This was a pretty common thing it seems in my family. In the young teenage years the boys were sent to Yale, as the family was part of the original founders.
The Hale brothers became part of the Linonian Society while there, this is one of the oldest secret society's of Yale, and has a huge list of prominent members over the years. They debated things like Astronomy, Math, literature and the ethics or lack there of, of slavery. Nathan did quite well at Yale and in 1773 at just 18 years old he graduated with first class honors. He soon became a teacher. The photo
to the left here is of the school house he taught at. However just two short years later in 1775 the Revolutionary War would begin changing Nathan's future. He quickly joined the militia, but as his company went off to fight in the siege of Boston he stayed behind. There are two predominate theories. One being that his contract with the New England schools wasn't up for another 7 months, keeping him there. The second simply being that he wasn't sure if he wanted to fight. Either way He is said to have received a letter from one of his old classmates at Yale Benjamin Tallmadge, who had gone to Boston first hand to witness the Seige. Essentially he wrote Nathan telling him after what he had seen, that he believed that if he was "in your condition" , that the most important thing would be to choose to serve in protecting our religious freedom and constitution. These words were moving enough that Nathan moved forward, joining the fight and was promoted to first luitenite in just 7 months.
Nathan Hale would become a member of the Knowlton Rangers, the first State ran intelligence agency in America. In August of 1776 the British easily defeated the continentals in Manhattan, after flanking from Stanton Island. George Washington was desperate for knowledge of where the British were coming from and where they would hit next. This is where Nathan Hale would get his fame.
George Washington called for a man who would be willing to go behind enemy lines, and report back troop movements. Nathan would be the only man to volunteer and the first official American Spy. Nathan would go pretending to be a Dutch school teacher. He did not change his name, and carried his Yale Diploma with him to prove his credentials as a school teacher. There are a couple of different stories about how Nathan was finally found and captured. But in the end he was caught and taken to the headquarters of British General William Howe in Manhattan. He is said to have had physical evidence on him. Some stories say he was kept in the greenhouse chained up, other stories say he was given a room in the house to stay overnight, because even as a spy, it was generally considered honorable to follow the orders of your commander in chief even when on the opposite side of the fight.
He asked for a Bible but was refused, he then asked for a clergyman and was denied once again. At one point General Howe did permit him to write letters to his Mother and Sister, however after writing the letters, the letters were then tore them up infront of Nathan the next morning.
As with the norm during the time, Nathan was to be hung as a spy by the British. Among first hand accounts it is said that he "conducted himself with great composure and resolution". On the morning of September 22, 1776 he would be marched down the road and hung.
The length of his speech and what exactly was said is debated. But most different variants of first hand accounts are fairly similar. But most famously is one line from the speech he gave before he was hung, "I only regret, that I have but one life to lose for my country"
Nathan was only 21 years old at the time of his death. His body disappeared after death, family erected an cenotaph over an empty grave. . . . . Many statues and Markers to celebrate his honor can be found all over the country.
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