This is the “Nathan Halle
Schoolhouse” in East Haddam, in the heart of the Connecticut River Valley in
Connecticut, one of the most beautiful areas of the state if not in all of New
England.
For the benefit of my friends in
other countries, Nathan Hale is a hero of the American revolution. Mostly he’s
a hero because he died at a very young age on a volunteer spying mission that
was doomed to fail and because he conducted himself with such dignity when he
was executed.
Hale was born in Coventry,
Connecticut, and entered Yale College at age 16. He was a brilliant student (He
graduated with honors) and while there was a leader of the Linonian Society of
Yale, which debated topics in astronomy, mathematics, literature, and the
ethics of slavery.
He was recruited into Knowlton's
Rangers, the first organized intelligence service organization of the United
States. When General George Washington needed a spy to operate in what would
soon be British held New York, Hale was the only volunteer. Hale stood over 6
feet tall, which, in those days, essentially made him a giant. He had a
distinctly loud and piercing, high pitched voice and adding to the mix, he wore
a ridiculous disguise and tried to pose as a traveling Dutch schoolmaster, all
of which only brought him even more attention when he suddenly appeared in
Flushing Bay, Queens.
The British took New York shortly
afterward on September 15, 1776. Five days later, Hale (probably) and other set
fire to the city, causing a major roundup of suspects. Hale was arrested the
following day. There are several versions of what happened. One was that he was
spotted trying to row a boat back to Connecticut
Another story says that the
infamous Major Robert Rogers of the Queen's Rangers AKA Roger’s Rangers, who were
more or less the English equivalent of the Green Berets, spotted Hale in a
tavern and recognized him and arrested him. However, the most likely story is
that he betrayed by his Loyalist cousin, Samuel Hale.
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.
(According to the standards of the time, spies were hanged as illegal
combatants.)
The next day, September 22, 1776,
the 21-year-old Hale was marched along Post Road to the Park of Artillery,
which was next to a public house called the Dove Tavern (at modern-day 66th
Street and Third Avenue) and hanged.
The only thing he definitely said
on the gallows was something to the effect of “I am Nathan Hale, a captain in
the Continental Army” although some accounts record him saying "I only
regret that I have but one life to lose for my country" or "I am so
satisfied with the cause in which I have engaged that my only regret is that I
have not more lives than one to offer in its service." (both lines are a
corruption of Joseph Addison's play, Cato)
Back to the schoolhouse. Hale
taught there in the of 1773, and was, by all reports, completely miserable
while he was there. He left after six months for another teaching position at
the Union Grammar School in New London, Connecticut.
