…Though his one fact-finding sortie behind enemy lines was a failure that ended in his capture and hanging, Nathan Hale remains America’s favorite spy, largely because of the words he is said to have uttered just before dying: “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”
—This is Don Troiani’s depiction just before the hanging. While some authors contend Hale was hung at about 66th St. & First Ave., a British officer states he was hung in front of the Royal Artillery Park. Period British maps prove this was at Turtle Bay (present 45th St.) just South of Howe’s Headquarters in the Beekman House and across from the Dove Tavern at the fourth mile marker. The British had pre war artillery magazines established at the Turtle Bay site so this makes a great deal of sense.
The British uniforms, clothing and every other possible detail have been intensively studied, even the Beekman House in the distant back ground.—click image for source…
(see link at end)…In his commencement address Hale had considered the question whether the higher education of women were not neglected. And, in the arrangement of the Union School at New London, it was determined that between the hours of five and seven in the morning, he should teach a class of “twenty young ladies” in the studies which occupied their brothers at a later hour.
He was thus engaged in the year 1774. The whole country was alive with the movements and discussions which came to a crisis in the battle of Lexington the next year. Hale, though not of age, was enrolled in the militia and was active in the military organization of the town.
So soon as the news of Lexington and Concord reached New London, a town-meeting was called. At this meeting, this young man, not yet of age, was one of the speakers. “Let us march immediately,” he said, “and never lay down our arms until we obtain our independence.” He assembled his school as usual the next day, but only to take leave of his scholars. “He gave them earnest counsel, prayed with them, shook each by hand,” bade them farewell.
It is said that there is no other record so early as this in which the word “independence” was publicly spoken. It would seem as if the uncalculating courage of a boy of twenty were needed to break the spell which still gave dignity to colonial submission.Read More:http://www.connecticutsar.org/patriots/hale_nathan.htm
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