General Information
"He was an actor in a military campaign that failed: the American army was losing New York City to the British. There were reasons to have a patriot hero, who could serve to inspire and bolster a precarious cause." -Email Interview,Christopher Clark, Professor and History Department Head of University of Connecticut, December 29, 2014
Nathan Hale did not last long as a spy and never successfully gave George Washington information regarding British movements. During Nathan Hale's time in Great Britain the Battle of Long Island was still occurring and George Washington was anxiously waiting for Hale to return with information.
Letters Home
When Nathan Hale was behind enemy lines it is said that he wrote several letters that have never surfaced and never will. "One of the letters was to Enoch (Nathan Hale's brother) and the other to his commanding officer, Col Thomas Knowlton. The letters were 'written after he was sentenced'"(Baker 24). There has been indication why the letters have not been sent other than the assumption that a British officer who was in charge of prisoners withed the letters possibly due to the content within them. Captain Montresor, an English officer who read Nathan Hale's letters, stated the reason the letters weren't sent was because Great Britain didn't want America to know "they had a man in the army who could die with so much firmness"(Montresor).
Nathan Hale: Spy
Source:Connecticut History Volume 45 Number 1, Spring 2006
Source:Connecticut History Volume 45 Number 1, Spring 2006
Discovered Spy
There are many different theories as to how Nathan Hale was discovered as a spy. One of which is that Nathan Hale's cousin knew about Nathan's mission and intentions and reported him to the British officials which resulted in them capturing Nathan. Another theory is that when Nathan was attempting to report information back to George Washington he flagged down a ship that he thought was his men but instead was a British ship. It is also thought that there was suspicion of Nathan all along and to capture him the British hired a spy of their own to befriend Nathan, earn his trust, and get him to confess (Live Interview, Beverly York, Site Administrator of Nathan Hale Homestead, December 14, 2014).
Last Words
There were many different thoughts as to what Nathan Hale's true last words really were but they are all very similar. The most famous variation is "I only regret that I have but one life to live for my country." Despite what variation is true, all variations portray Nathan Hale to be very prideful and calm during his last moments.
"Meet death in whatever shape it might appear" -Officer Frederick MacKensie
"If I had ten thousand lives, I would lay them all down in defense of this injured, bleeding country" -Essex Journal
"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." -Independent Chronicle and the Universal Advertiser