WhereILive:Connecticut

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StateHeroNathanHale

It’shardtoimaginewhatNathanHale’slastdayswerelike.Hewasjust21yearsoldwhenhedied.TheBritishhangedhimSeptember22,1776forspying.Itissaidthatathisexecution,hedeclared,“IonlyregretthatIhavebutonelifetoloseformycountry.”Heisrememberedforthesewordsofbravery,sacrifice,andpatriotism.

NathanHalewasbornin1755onafarminCoventry,Connecticut.Hewasthe6thof12brothersandsisters.Hisfirstschoolingwasbythelocalminister.In1769heandhisbrotherEnochweresenttoYaleCollegeinNewHaven.Enochwas16andNathanwas14.

Livinginacitywasanewexperienceforthetwobrothers.NewHavenwasbrimmingwithnewideas.Thosenewideasincludedrevolutionandthepossibilityofanewnation.NathanandEnochgraduatedin1773.Nathanwas18yearsold.

Nathantookajobteachinginaone-roomschoolhouseinEastHaddam.EastHaddamisontheConnecticutRiver.Bythe1750s,thetownhadmorethan2,000residents.Residentsmadetheirlivingbyfarming,shipbuilding,tanning,andblacksmithing.

Nathanmissedlivinginthecity.Afterayear,hetookanewteachingjobinNew

London.Hehad30malestudentsandtaughtaclassofgirlsduringthesummer.

Hewasofferedthepositionofmasterofaprivateschool.ButtheRevolutionaryWarbrokeout.ItwasApril1775.NathanwentwiththelocalmilitiatofightinBoston.Hewasnowarebelsoldier.Hebecamefirstlieutenantinthe7thConnecticutRegiment.

WhereILive:Connecticut

WhereILiveCT.org ©ConnecticutExplored

Bythefollowingspring,hewasinNewYorkCity.HisregimentwastryingtodefendthecityfromBritishattack.ByearlySeptember,theBritishcontrolledwesternLongIsland.Theyweregettingclose.GeneralGeorgeWashingtonneededtoknowwhentheBritishplannedtoattackNewYorkCity.Nathanwaspersuadedtogobehindenemylinestotrytofindouttheinformation.

NathanneededtogettoLongIslandwithoutbeingnoticed.HetravelledtoNorwalk,Connecticut.There,hefoundaboatthatwouldtakehimacrossLongIslandSound.Helefthisuniform,silvershoebuckles,andotherpossessionsbehind.Underthecoverofdarkness,hemadethecrossing.

Buthewastoolate.TheBritishinvadedNewYorkCityonSeptember15,1776.Thefollowingday,hewascapturedbytheBritishnearFlushingBay,LongIsland.HewasbroughtbeforeBritishGeneralWilliamHowe.Nathanstatedhisname,rank,andthepurposeofhismission.Hewasnotgivenatrial.GeneralHowesentencedhimtohangthenextday.

NathanspenthislastnightwithaBritishsoldiernamedJohnMontresor.CaptainMontresorwitnessedthehanging.Afterwards,Montresorwas

WhereILive:Connecticut

WhereILiveCT.org ©ConnecticutExplored

orderedtodeliveramessagefromGeneralHowetoGeneralWashington.HebroughtthenewsofNathan’scaptureanddeath.ItisthroughCaptainMontresorthatweknowofNathanHale’slasthours.HetoldofNathan’sdignity,devotiontothepatriotcause,andhislastwords,“IonlyregretthatIhavebutonelifetoloseformycountry.”

Thisarticleisbasedon:

“CaptainNathanHale,”byMaryJ.Ortner,Ph.D.,connecticutsar.org/captain-nathan-hale-1755-1776-2/

“NathanHale:IconofInnocence,”byMaryBethBaker,ConnecticutHistory,Spring2006

“TownHistory,”easthaddam.org/History-1756/