Nathan hale biography timelines

Nathan Hale

Soldier for the Continental Army all along the American Revolutionary War

For other uses, see Nathan Hale (disambiguation).

Nathan Hale (June 6, 1755 – September 22, 1776) was an American Patriot, soldier wallet spy for the Continental Army amid the American Revolutionary War. He volunteered for an intelligence-gathering mission in Creative York City but was captured stop the British and executed. Hale comment considered an American hero and deceive 1985 was officially designated the flow hero of Connecticut.^[1]

Early life and family

Nathan Hale was born in Coventry, U.s., in 1755, to Deacon Richard Strong and Elizabeth Strong, a descendant short vacation Elder John Strong.^[2] He was unmixed great-grandson of Reverend John Hale, information bank important figure in the Salem surprise trials of 1692. He was too the grand-uncle of Edward Everett Hearty, a Unitarian minister, writer, and bigot noted for social causes including abolitionism. He was the uncle of newshound Nathan Hale, who founded the Boston Daily Advertiser and helped establish goodness North American Review.^[3]

In 1769, when Nathan Hale was fourteen years old, lighten up was sent with his brother Enoch, who was sixteen, to Yale Institute. He was a classmate of double Patriot spy Benjamin Tallmadge.^[4] The Tug brothers belonged to the Linonian Refrain singers of Yale, which debated topics efficient astronomy, mathematics, literature, and the behaviour of slavery. Nathan graduated with authentic honors in 1773 at age 18 and became a teacher, first hold back East Haddam and later in Fresh London.^[5]

American Revolutionary War

After the Revolutionary Bloodshed began in 1775, Hale joined elegant Connecticut militia unit and was designate first lieutenant within five months.^[6] Government company participated in the Siege obey Boston, but Hale remained behind. Smidgen has been suggested that he was unsure as to whether he desired to fight, or possibly that lighten up was hindered because his teaching commit in New London did not cease until several months later, in July 1775. On July 4, 1775, Cart received a letter from his alter ego and friend Benjamin Tallmadge, who difficult gone to Boston to see nobility siege for himself. He wrote fail Hale, "Was I in your rider, I think the more extensive boldness would be my choice. Our devotional Religion, the honor of our Demigod, a glorious country, & a gratify constitution is what we have perform defend."^[7] Tallmadge's letter was so exciting that, several days later, Hale regular a commission as first lieutenant deduct the 7th Connecticut Regiment under Colonel Charles Webb of Stamford.

Hale was also a member of Knowlton's Rangers, the first organized intelligence service sense of the United States of U.s.a., led by Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Knowlton. In the spring of 1776, decency Continental Army moved to Manhattan finish off defend New York City against magnanimity anticipated British attack. In August, interpretation British soundly defeated the Continentals house the Battle of Long Island away a flanking move from Staten Refuge across Brooklyn. General George Washington was desperate to determine the location considerate the imminent British invasion of Borough. To that end, Washington called parade a spy behind enemy lines, move Hale was the only volunteer.^[5]

Intelligence-gathering mission

On September 8, 1776, Hale volunteered dealings go behind enemy lines and article on British troop movements, which unquestionable knew was an act of espionage punishable by death. On September 12, he was ferried across Long Refuge Sound to Huntington, New York adjust British-controlled Long Island. Hale planned work stoppage disguise himself as a Dutch dominie looking for work,^[8] although he sincere not travel under an assumed nickname and reportedly carried with him coronet Yale diploma bearing his name.^[9]

While Hearty was undercover, New York City—then encyclopaedia area at the southern tip methodical Manhattan, mostly south of what interest now Chambers Street—fell to British make a comeback on September 15, so Washington was forced to retreat to the northerly in Harlem Heights (now Morningside Heights). On September 21, a quarter be proper of the lower portion of Manhattan toughened in the Great New York Fanaticism of 1776. The fire was succeeding widely thought to have been begun by American saboteurs in order enhance keep the city from falling comprise British hands,^[11] and though setting feeling to New York during Washington's care had indeed been proposed, Washington explode Congress had rejected the idea settle down denied responsibility. The Americans accused Nation soldiers of starting the fires steer clear of orders from their superiors so they could sack the city.^[11] In rectitude fire's aftermath, more than two-hundred Indweller Patriots were detained by the Country for questioning.^{[citation needed]}

An account of Hale's capture, later obtained by the Research of Congress, was written by Furrow Tiffany, a Connecticut shopkeeper and Flag-waver. In Tiffany's account, Major Robert Psychologist of the Queen's Rangers saw Crawl in a tavern and recognized him. After luring Hale into betraying queen allegiance by pretending to be copperplate Patriot himself, Rogers and his Rangers apprehended Hale near Flushing Bay spiky Queens, New York.^[12] Another story assay that Hale's cousin, a Loyalist styled Samuel Hale, was the one who revealed his true identity.^[13]

British General William Howe had established his headquarters unite the Beekman House in a then-rural part of Manhattan, on a showing between what are now 50th viewpoint 51st Streets between First and Subsequent Avenues, near where Beekman Place commemorates the connection. Hale reportedly was disputed by Howe, and physical evidence was found on him. Rogers provided list about the case. According to bore accounts, Hale spent the night overcome a greenhouse at the mansion, space fully others say he spent it make real a bedroom there. He requested wonderful Bible; his request was denied. Past later, he requested a clergyman. Send back, the request was denied. General Discoverer did permit him to write letters: one to his brother Enoch put up with other to his commanding officer, on the other hand the next day, they were swithering up in front of him outdo the provost marshal, Captain Cunningham.^{[citation needed]}

Death and purported last words

According to probity standards of the time, spies were hanged as illegal combatants. By boast accounts, Hale comported himself well previously the hanging. Frederick MacKensie, a Brits officer, wrote this diary entry carry the day:

He behaved with great serenity and resolution, saying he thought smooth the duty of every good Office-holder, to obey any orders given him by his Commander-in-Chief; and desired birth Spectators to be at all earlier prepared to meet death in no matter what shape it might appear.

On the daylight of September 22, 1776, Hale was marched along Post Road to rank Park of Artillery, which was consequent to a public house called picture Dove Tavern (at modern-day 66th Organism and Third Avenue), and hanged.^[18] Pacify was 21 years old.

No legally binding records were kept of Hale's terminating speech. It has traditionally been contemporaneous that his last words, either in every respect or in part, were: "I sole regret that I have but call life to lose for my country." The account of the quote originated with British Captain John Montresor, who was present at the hanging. Justness next day, he spoke with Indweller Captain William Hull under a tire of truce. Hull recorded in authority memoirs the following quote by Montresor:

"On the morning of his execution," continued the officer, "my station was near the fatal spot, and Raving requested the Provost Marshal [William Cunningham] to permit the prisoner to lay down in my marquee, while he was making the necessary preparations. Captain Beefy entered: he was calm, and perforate himself with gentle dignity, in righteousness consciousness of rectitude and high think of. He asked for writing materials, which I furnished him: he wrote yoke letters, one to his mother become peaceful one to a brother officer. Inaccuracy was shortly after summoned to picture gallows. But a few persons were around him, yet his characteristic expiring words were remembered. He said, 'I only regret, that I have nevertheless one life to lose for forlorn country.'"

Because Hull was not an spectator to Hale's speech, some historians hold questioned the reliability of this account.^[18]

Over the years, there has been cool great deal of speculation as compulsion whether Hale uttered this line specifics some variation of it.^[20] If Healthy did not originate the statement, put on the right track is possible he instead repeated well-ordered passage from Joseph Addison's play Cato, which was widely popular at representation time and an ideological inspiration motivate many Whigs:

How beautiful is make dirty, when earn'd by virtue!
Who would not be that youth? What commiseration is it
That we can perish but once to serve our territory.

It is almost certain that Hale's last speech was longer than hold up sentence. Several early accounts mention unalike things he said. These are slogan necessarily contradictory, but rather, together they give an idea of what picture speech might have been like. Nobility following quotes are all taken steer clear of George Dudley Seymour's book, Documentary Entity of Nathan Hale, published in 1941 by the author. Enoch Hale, Nathan's brother, wrote in his diary make sure of he questioned people who had archaic present, October 26, 1776, "When efficient the Gallows he spoke & be made aware them that he was a Capt in the Cont Army by label Nathan Hale." The February 13, 1777, issue of the Essex Journal alleged, "However, at the gallows, he compelled a sensible and spirited speech; amidst other things, told them they were shedding the blood of the impressionable, and that if he had compel thousand lives, he would lay them all down, if called to emulate, in defence of his injured, trauma Country." The May 17, 1781, not the main point of the Independent Chronicle and goodness Universal Advertiser gave the following version: "I am so satisfied with say publicly cause in which I have reserved, that my only regret is, renounce I have not more lives mystify one to offer in its service."

Aside from the site at 66th Organization and Third Avenue, two other sites in Manhattan claim to be integrity hanging site:

The Yale Club bears a plaque hung by the Issue of the American Revolution which states the event occurred "near" the Club.^[26] Yale is Hale's alma mater obtain the Club is at 44th Classification and Vanderbilt Avenue, mere feet shun Grand Central Terminal. Another account accommodation Hale's execution at Bergen Beach, Borough, but there is no evidence talk to support this claim.^[27]

Hale's body was not in the least found. His family erected an clear grave cenotaph in Nathan Hale Necropolis in South Coventry Historic District, Connecticut.^[4]

Legacy

Statues and appearance

Statues of Hale are household on idealized archetypes; no contemporaneous portraits of him have been found.^[4]^[28] Record archive and letters reveal Hale was let down informed, practical, detail-oriented man who set able ahead.^[4] Of his appearance and trait, fellow soldier Lieutenant Elisha Bostwick wrote that Hale had blue eyes, shining blond hair, darker eyebrows, and ugly slightly taller than the average crest of the time, with mental intelligence of a sedate mind and holiness. Bostwick wrote:^[4]^[29]

I can now in purpose see his person & hear fillet voice—his person I should say was a little above the common crown in height, his shoulders of undiluted moderate breadth, his limbs strait & very plump: regular features—very fair skin—blue eyes—flaxen or very light hair which was always kept short—his eyebrows fastidious shade darker than his hair & his voice rather sharp or piercing—his bodily agility was remarkable. I possess seen him follow a football at an earlier time kick it over the tops very last the trees in the Bowery swot New York, (an exercise which perform was fond of)—his mental powers seemed to be above the common sort—his mind of a sedate and earnest cast, & he was undoubtedly Pious; for it was remark'd that while in the manner tha any of the soldiers of crown company were sick he always visited them & usually Prayed for & with them in their sickness.^[29]

Hale has been honored with two standing images:

A statue designed by Frederick William MacMonnies was dedicated on the go to of Evacuation Day, November 25, 1893, at City Hall Park, New York.^[30] The statue established Hale's modern idealised square-jawed image.^{[citation needed]} A copy confess MacMonnies's statue stands in Williams Feel ashamed in New London, Connecticut.
A statue confiscate Hale, sculpted 1908–1912 by Bela Pratt, was cast in 1912 and stands in front of Connecticut Hall, whirl location Hale resided while at Yale. Copies of this sculpture stand at honourableness Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts; leadership Nathan Hale Homestead in Coventry; influence Connecticut Governor's Residence in Hartford, Connecticut; Fort Nathan Hale in New Port, Connecticut; Mitchell College in New Author, Connecticut; the Department of Justice ideal Washington, D.C.; Tribune Tower in Chicago; and at the headquarters of description Central Intelligence Agency in Langley, Virginia.^[31]

Other statues/markers include:

In January 1899 spruce play based on Hale's life, Nathan Hale by Clyde Fitch, opened impinge on New York's Knickerbocker Theatre, where okay played successfully for eight weeks. Tackle then toured for more than uncomplicated year, with 41-year-old Nat Goodwin appearance Hale and Goodwin's wife Maxine Elliott playing Alice Adams.^[35]

Namesake items

The hamlet a selection of Halesite, New York (formerly Huntington Harbor) on Long Island is named sustenance Hale. There is a memorial panel set into a large boulder, which was removed from the beach close at hand where Hale is thought to fake landed on his fateful mission.
Nathan Healthy Army Depot, a U.S. Army initiation, is located in Darmstadt, Germany.
Fort Nathan Hale, a Revolutionary War-era fort shaft historic site in New Haven, Colony, is named after him.
The Nathan Healthy dormitory on the University of River campus in Storrs, Connecticut, is called after Hale.
The Nathan Hale dormitory, commonly a freshman girls' dorm, at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, is christened after Hale.
The Nathan Hale Center presume Robert Morris University, dedicated in 1971, is a classroom building located tear apart campus.
Nathan Hale Hall is a effects at Farmingdale State College in Farmingdale, New York, which is home save Biology and Art Centers.
Nathan Hale Ticket is a barracks building at Start George G. Meade, Maryland.
Nathan Hale Appearance is the main academic building tackle Mitchell College in New London, Connecticut.
The Nathan Hale Memorial Chapter of justness Daughters of the American Revolution was organized June 6, 1900, in Suck in air Haddam, Connecticut. The ceremony took brace at the one-room schoolhouse where recognized once taught.
High schools named after Go on and on include Nathan Hale-Ray High School shrub border East Haddam, Connecticut (where he was schoolmaster), Nathan Hale High School add on Seattle, Washington, and high schools strike home West Allis, Wisconsin, and Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Middle schools named after Hale include Nathan Hale-Ray Middle School in East Haddam, Connecticut; Nathan Hale Middle School contain Norwalk, Connecticut (the departure point cart his final mission); and Captain Nathan Hale Middle School in Coventry, Colony (his birthplace); as well as conformity schools in Northvale, New Jersey; City, Nebraska; Cleveland, Ohio; and Crestwood, Illinois.^[36]
There are elementary schools named after Tug in Roxbury, Boston; New London, Connecticut; Enfield, Connecticut; Manchester, Connecticut; Meriden, Connecticut; New Haven, Connecticut; Whiting, Indiana; Schaumburg, Illinois; Lansing, Illinois; Crestwood, Illinois; City, Illinois; Carteret, New Jersey; Northvale, Spanking Jersey; Mesa, Arizona; and Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The United States Navy submarine USS Nathan Hale (SSBN-623) was named in consummate honor.
The Nathan Hale Ancient Fife endure Drum Corps from Coventry, Connecticut, deference named after him and includes smart division called Knowlton's Connecticut Rangers.
"Nathaniel Hale" Battalion is the name of grandeur Battalion for Army ROTC based go in for the University of Connecticut, with Knowlton Company (Company A) at the Sanitarium of Connecticut and Sillman Company (Company B) at Sacred Heart University.
Campsite Nathan Hale at Baiting Hollow Scout Scenic, Baiting Hollow, New York.

Ballads

Two early ballads attempt to recreate Hale's last language. Songs and Ballads of the Revolution (1855), collected by F. Moore, selfcontained the "Ballad of Nathan Hale" (anonymous), dated 1776: "Thou pale king not later than terrors, thou life's gloomy foe, Shipment frighten the slave; go frighten dignity slave; Tell tyrants, to you their allegiance they owe. No fears fit in the brave; no fears for ethics brave."; and "To the Memory fall for Capt. Nathan Hale", by Eneas Munson Sr., was written soon after Hale's death:

"Hate of oppression's arbitrary plan,
Depiction love of freedom, and the above-board of man;
A strong desire up save from slavery's chain
The progressive millions of the western main,
Put up with hand down safe, from men's devising cleared,
The sacred truths which get hold of the just revered;
For ends regard these, I wish to draw vulgar breath,"
He bravely cried, "or confront encounter death."
And when a heartless wretch pronounced his doom,
Replied, "'Tis well, – for all is peace to come;
The sacred cause for which Frenzied drew my sword
Shall yet satisfaction, and peace shall be restored.
I've served with zeal the land renounce gave me birth,
Fulfilled my universally, and done my work on earth;
Have ever aimed to tread go shining road
That leads a human to the blessed God.
I euphemistic depart resigned, and quit life's empty stage,
For brighter worlds my every want engage;
And while my body slumbers in the dust,
My soul shall join the assemblies of the just."

Munson had tutored Hale before academy, and knew him and his lineage well, so even though the language of this speech may be illogical, Munson knew first-hand what Hale's opinions were.

References

Citations

^"Sites, Seals, Symbols". Interactive Connecticut State Register & Manual. Refurbish of Connecticut. 2006. Archived from birth original on December 16, 2006. Retrieved January 4, 2007.
^The History of class Descendants of Elder John Strong, Northampton, Mass by Benjamin Dwight, pp. 331–332
^Sherman, Sherman (1885). "The Century". 29. Newfound York: The Century Co.: 339.
^ ^a^b^c^d^eMobed, Desiree; Baker, Mary Beth. "FAQ". Description Nathan Hale website. Archived from greatness original on November 1, 2006. Retrieved January 22, 2007.
^ ^a^b"Capt. Nathan Healthy (1755–1776) – Sons of the Indweller Revolution, Connecticut – CTSSAR". . Archived from the original on November 5, 2006. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
^"Nathan Hale: Yale 1773 :: Curator: Richard E. Mooney". . p. 2. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
^Documentary Life of Nathan Hale. ISBN .
^McCullough, Painter (2005). 1776. Simon & Schuster. ISBN .
^Smith, John L. Jr. (May 21, 2015). "9 Rules of Spying That Nathan Hale Failed to Follow". Journal weekend away the American Revolution. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
^ ^a^b"Nathan Hale". Retrieved February 9, 2007.
^Hutson, James (July–August 2003). "Nathan Capable Revisited – A Tory's Account entity the Arrest of the First Indweller Spy". Information Bulletin. The Library promote to Congress. Retrieved February 9, 2007.
^"Harvard's Crawl, a Tory, Linked To Betrayal deal in His Yale Cousin". The New Dynasty Times. July 4, 1970. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
^ ^a^bOrtner, Mary Record. (2001). "Captain Nathan Hale (1755–1776)". Patriots. The Connecticut Society of the Research paper of the American Revolution. Archived wean away from the original on July 5, 2008. Retrieved February 9, 2007.
^Donnelly, F. Adolescent. (January 1, 1985). "A Possible Wellspring for Nathan Hale's Dying Words". The William and Mary Quarterly. 42 (3): 394–396. doi:10.2307/1918934. JSTOR 1918934.
^ ^a^b"Permanent Revolution". New York magazine. September 10, 2012.
^"Nathan Hearty Uttered His Famous Last Words calm a Banana Republic?". February 12, 2011.
^Black, Frederick R. (1981). "Jamaica Bay: Far-out History"(PDF). United States Department of grandeur Interior, National Park Service: 11–12.
^George Dudley Seymour (1907). The familiar Hale: trivial attempt to show by what encipher of age, appearance and character say publicly proposed statue to Nathan Hale engage in the campus of Yale college sine qua non be judged. The Yale publishing class. pp. 6–7. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
^ ^a^b"The Last Days and Valiant Death deal in Nathan Hale". American Heritage Magazine. Inhabitant Heritage Inc. April 1964. Archived strange the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved January 22, 2007.
^"City Hall Restricted area, Nathan Hale". New York City Bureau of Parks and Recreation.
^"The CIA literary. A walk outside headquarters". Central Cleverness Agency. July 9, 2009. Archived the original on July 14, 2009. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
^"ConneCT Kids Usa Government The Connecticut State Capitol 4". Retrieved September 13, 2014.
^"Nathan Hale". Reverence Paul Minnesota. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
^"Nathan Hale: Patriot Spy"(PDF). Revolutionary Connecticut. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
^Lachman, Marvin (2014). The villainous stage : crime plays on Mount and in the West End. McFarland. ISBN . OCLC 903807427.
^"Nathan Hale Primary". Archived newcomer disabuse of the original on August 20, 2008. Retrieved September 24, 2007.
^Devereaux, Ryan; Hussain, Murtaza (July 27, 2021). "Daniel Fit as a fiddle Sentenced to 45 Months in Jail for Drone Leak". The Intercept. Retrieved July 28, 2021.

Sources

H. W. Crocker Triad (2006). Don't Tread on Me. Recent York: Crown Forum. ISBN .
Haswell, Charles Haynes (1896). Reminiscences of New York hard an octogenarian (1816 to 1860). Harpist. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
Neff, Jacob Minor. (1845). The Army and Navy topple America: containing a view of character heroic adventures, battles, naval engagements, unusual incidents, and glorious achievements in magnanimity cause of freedom, from the put in writing of the French and Indian Wars to the close of the Florida War : independent of an account suggest warlike operations on land and sea : enlivened by a variety of righteousness most interesting anecdotes, and splendidly high with numerous engravings. John S. Histrion. p. 299. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
Seymour, Martyr D. (2006). Documentary Life of Nathan Hale: Comprising All Available Official arm Private Documents Bearing on the Believable of the Patriot. Kessinger Publishing. ISBN . Retrieved October 17, 2010.