Beech Tree News Network

Nathan Hale: The Patriot Martyr
This country has been blessed to have heroes who are willing to put their lives on the line to protect our freedom. None is more well-known than Nathan Hale. While serving as an American spy, he was hanged in New York City by General William Howe on September 22, 1776. Nathan Hale is an excellent example of great courage and patriotism.
    Born on June 6, 1755, in Coventry, Connecticut, Nathan Hale was the sixth of twelve children and had a love for learning. At age 13, he enrolled in Yale with his older brother and graduated from the university in 1773. Upon graduation, Hale became a schoolmaster in the East Haddam community and then went on to teach at New London. When the Revolutionary War began in 1775, Nathan Hale signed up to fight for colonial freedom. As a soldier, Nathan always gave his best to the colonial cause, and when General Washington was looking for a volunteer to spy on the British invasion of New York City, Nathan Hale volunteered first. The operation went according to plan, and it looked like Hale would make it back to camp safely. Unfortunately, on September 21, 1776, a fire burned ¼ of lower Manhattan, and many American spies were captured in the aftermath of the fire. One of these spies was Nathan Hale. The British found incriminating documents on him, and Hale was sentenced by General William Howe to be executed the following morning.
    Before he was led to the gallows, Nathan Hale said, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” He was only 21 years old when he died, but Nathan Hale’s words rang in the ears of the colonial army and pushed them on to victory. What a great example of patriotism Nathan Hale is to us and to our families!