GRIEF FOR THE YOUNG PATRIOT
From Enoch Hale's diary, parts of which were first published by his
famous grandson, Edward Everett Hale, we learn how the news reached the
Hale family. Enoch writes as follows:
"September 30. Afternoon. Ride to Rev. Strong's [his uncle] Salmon
Brook [Connecticut]. Hear a rumor that Capt. Hale, belonging to the
east side of Connecticut River near Colchester, who was educated at
College, was sentenced to hang in the enemy's lines at New York,
being taken as a spy, or reconnoitering their camp. Hope it is
without foundation. Something troubled at it. Sleep not very
well.... October 15. Get a pass to ride to New York.... Accounts
from my brother Captain are indeed melancholy! That about the
second week of September, he went to Stamford, crossed to Long
Island (Dr. Waldo writes) and had finished his plans, but before he
could get off, was betrayed, taken, and hanged without ceremony....
Some entertain hopes that all this is not true, but it is a gloomy,
dejected hope. Time may determine. Conclude to go to the camp next
week."
He afterwards wrote that Webb, one of Washington's staff, brought word
to Washington that Nathan Hale, "being suspected by his movements that
he wanted to get out of New York, was taken up and examined by the
general [Howe] and some minutes being found upon him, orders were
immediately given that he should be hanged. When at the gallows, he
spoke and told that he was a Capt. in the Continental army, by name
Nathan Hale."
To those who have experienced the long weeks of distressing anxiety that
often fall to the lot of those whose friends are in battle, or carried
prisoners to unknown camps, no words are needed to depict the anxiety
among Nathan Hale's family until particulars of his noble death were
finally learned.
It is a solemn but perhaps a comforting fact, that the deepest human
distress seems, after a few generations have passed, to have been "writ
in water." Bitter as must have been those early sorrowful hours, the
only later reminder of the tears that then flowed is given in the
statement that one who had loved him could not speak of him fifty years
later without tears in her eyes.
Of how many wept for him we can form no conception. Indeed, we should
have pitied any warmhearted girl or young man who knew him, and had
shared his joyous young life, who could have heard of his tragic death
without tears almost as bitter as for one intensely loved.
Duly Enoch Hale and his family learned all that ever will be known of
the last days of their beloved, and now honored, dead.
The following letter of Deacon Richard Hale's--good man and uncertain
speller that he was!--was written to his brother Samuel at Portsmouth,
New Hampshire, a few months after Nathan's death had become known:
DEAR BROTHER
I Recd your favor of the 17th of February Last and rejoce to
hear that you and your Famley ware well your obversation as to the
Diffulty of the times is very just. so gloomey a day wee niver saw
before but I trust our Cause is Just and for our Consolation in the
times of greatest destress we have this to sopert us that their is
a God that Jugeth in the earth if we can but take the comfort of
it. as to our being far advanced in life if it do but serve to wean
us from this presint troublesom world and stur us up to prepare for
a world of peace and Rest it is well. the calls in Providance are
loud to prepare to meet our God and O that he would prepare us. you
desired me to inform you about my son Nathan you have doutless seen
the Newberry Port paper that gives the acount of the conduct of our
kinsman Samll Hale toard him in New York as to our kinsman being
here in his way to York it is a mistake but as to his conduct tord
my son at York Mr. Cleveland of Capepan first reported it near us I
sopose when on his way from the Armey where he had been Chapling
home as was Probley true betraie'd he doubtless was by somebody. he
was executed about the 22nd of September last by the aconts we
have had. a child I sot much by but he is gone I think the second
trial I ever met with. my 3rd son Joseph is in the armey over in
the Jarsyes and was well the last we heard from him my other son
that was in the service belonged to the melishey and is now at
home. my son Enoch is gone to take the small pox by enoculation.
Brother Robinson and famley are well we are all threw the Divine
goodness well my wife joins in love to you and Mrs Hale and your
children
Your loving Brother
COVENTRY March 28th 1777
RICHARD HALE
For a while after Nathan Hale's death, in the crowding events of the
Revolution, his personal friends appear to have been his chief mourners.
One lady is said to have told Professor Kingsley of New Haven that she
had never seen greater anguish than that experienced by Deacon Hale and
his family when they heard of Nathan's death.
What the news meant to his "good grandmother Strong" we are not told.
For her, so faithful and unselfish in her loving, we can but be glad
that if she went home all the earlier for this blow, she must have gone
all the more serenely; assured that if the earth was the poorer, heaven
was the richer, because the grandson she had loved so truly was there
awaiting her.
Mrs. Abbot, daughter of Deacon Richard Hale's son, Joseph Hale, lived
at her grandfather's from 1784 till her marriage in 1799. Many years ago
she wrote to her cousin, "From my earliest recollection I have felt a
deep interest in that unfortunate uncle. When his death or the manner of
it was spoken of, my grief would come forth in tears. Living in the old
homestead I frequently heard allusions to him by the neighbors and
persons that worked in the family, much more so than by near relatives.
It seemed the anguish they felt did not allow them to make it the
subject of conversation. Was it not so with your mother?"
Rev. Edward Everett Hale refers in a historical address to the fact that
in his own early days the name of Nathan Hale was seldom mentioned in
his presence. We of to-day can but wish that somewhat of the luster from
the radiant halo that was to encircle his memory and to grow brighter as
the years pass on, might have comforted them. Yet each one of that
sorrowing family has long since learned to rejoice that, as nobly as any
martyr has ever died for his country, their lad went forth into the
eternities.
The poem which follows was published in "Songs and Ballads of the
Revolution," collected by Mr. Frank Moore. It is not known when these
verses first appeared, but they are among the earliest tributes to Hale
after his death. It is thought possible, by some students of
Revolutionary history, that the lines may yet prove valuable in throwing
light upon the manner of Hale's capture and death, as they are probably
based on accounts current at that time of which records have not yet
appeared.
CAPTURE AND DEATH OF NATHAN HALE
(By an unknown poet of 1776)
The breezes went steadily thro' the tall pines,
A-saying "oh! hu-sh!" a-saying "oh! hu-sh!"
As stilly stole by a bold legion of horse,
For Hale in the bush, for Hale in the bush.
"Keep still!" said the thrush as she nestled her young,
In a nest by the road; in a nest by the road;
"For the tyrants are near, and with them appear,
What bodes us no good, what bodes us no good."
The brave captain heard it, and thought of his home,
In a cot by the brook; in a cot by the brook.
With mother and sister and memories dear,
He so gaily forsook; he so gaily forsook.
Cooling shades of the night were coming apace,
The tattoo had beat; the tattoo had beat.
The noble one sprang from his dark lurking place
To make his retreat; to make his retreat.
He warily trod on the dry rustling leaves,
As he pass'd thro' the wood; as he pass'd thro' the wood;
And silently gain'd his rude launch on the shore,
As she play'd with the flood; as she play'd with the flood.
The guards of the camp, on that dark, dreary night,
Had a murderous will; had a murderous will.
They took him and bore him afar from the shore,
To a hut on the hill; to a hut on the hill.
No mother was there, nor a friend who could cheer,
In that little stone cell; in that little stone cell.
But he trusted in love from his father above,
In his heart all was well; in his heart all was well.
An ominous owl with his solemn bass voice
Sat moaning hard by; sat moaning hard by.
"The tyrant's proud minions most gladly rejoice,
For he must soon die; for he must soon die."
The brave fellow told them, no thing he restrained,
The cruel gen'ral; the cruel gen'ral;
His errand from camp, of the ends to be gained,
And said that was all; and said that was all.
They took him and bound him and bore him away,
Down the hill's grassy side; down the hill's grassy side.
'Twas there the base hirelings, in royal array,
His cause did deride; his cause did deride.
Five minutes were given, short moments, no more,
For him to repent; for him to repent;
He pray'd for his mother, he ask'd not another;
To Heaven he went; to Heaven he went.
The faith of a martyr, the tragedy shew'd,
As he trod the last stage; as he trod the last stage.
And Britons will shudder at gallant Hale's blood,
As his words do presage; as his words do presage.
"Thou pale king of terrors, thou life's gloomy foe,
Go frighten the slave; go frighten the slave;
Tell tyrants to you their allegiance they owe.
No fears for the brave; no fears for the brave."
The body of the Martyr Spy was never found. For many years there appears
to have been some interest, but little knowledge, as to the place of
Nathan Hale's execution. During the last one hundred and thirty-eight
years, writer after writer has described his life and all the events
connected with it as they are believed to have occurred; and, as was
inevitable under the circumstances, some things have been written that
the critical historian cannot indorse.
Until near the end of the nineteenth century no reliable information,
even as to the place of his execution, had been gained. The late Mr.
William Kelby, Librarian of the New York Historical Society, "an
accepted authority on all subjects of this and kindred nature," is said
to have undertaken to locate the exact spot where it occurred, and met
with at least partial success.
Writing on the subject in 1893 he says in substance: When the British
took possession of New York in September, 1776, after the battle of Long
Island, General Howe occupied the Beekman house on Fifty-first Street
and First Avenue as his headquarters, while the army extended across the
island to the north of him. The corps of Royal Artillery occupied part
of the high ground between Sixty-sixth and Seventy-second Streets, where
they parked their guns and formed a camp.
Close to the camp were the old "five-mile stone" on the way to
Kingsbridge, and a tavern long known as "The Sign of the Dove." The
exact location of this tavern is shown from a survey of 1783 as being
west of the post road on Third Avenue between Sixty-sixth and
Sixty-seventh streets. It belonged, with four acres of land attached, to
the City Corporation.
The extract already shown on page 82 is from an Orderly Book (discovered
by Mr. Kelby) kept by an officer of the British Foot-Guards. Other
entries read as follows:
"October 6. The effects of the late Lieutenant Lovell to be sold at the
house near the Artillery Park.
"October 11. Majors of Brigade to attend at the Artillery Park near the
Dove at five this afternoon."
The story of Hale's confinement in the Beekman greenhouse at Fifty-first
Street and First Avenue on the night of September 21, 1776, is generally
accepted. Former stories of the place of execution are disproved by the
first extract from the Orderly Book, while the others indicate the
location of the Artillery Park. It therefore appears that Hale was
executed upon some part of this common land of the Corporation of the
City of New York, and it is probable that his body was buried there.
The tract is now covered mainly by buildings devoted to educational and
philanthropic uses. Possibly the dust of the Martyr Spy may lie in the
grounds of the Normal, or Hunter, College.
Other materials, found since Mr. Kelby wrote, confirm his conclusions
and make Third Avenue, not far north of Sixty-sixth Street, the most
probable spot of Nathan Hale's death. The noblest educational
institutions in New York City could have no more appropriate foundations
than those laid above the bodies of patriots who have died, not only for
the freedom of the city, but for that of the whole land.
For a time, as was inevitable, a pall seemed thrown over the memory of
Nathan Hale, and at first only the love of his own family strove to
commemorate his life and death. A stone was erected to his memory in
the cemetery at South Coventry, near the spot where his father expected
to be buried. It still stands there and has been declared to be one of
the best examples of the lettering of the times. It bears this
inscription:
"Durable stone preserve the monumental record. Nathan Hale Esq. a Capt.
in the army of the United States, who was born June 6th, 1755, and
received the first honors of Yale College, Sept. 1773, resigned his life
a sacrifice to his country's liberty at New York, Sept. 22d, 1776,
Etatis 22d."
One by one were placed near his, his father's stone (his father died at
eighty-five), and those of other members of his family. These graves are
in a common burial lot near the Congregational Church in South Coventry
where the family had worshiped.
In November, 1837, the Hale Monument Association was formed for the
purpose of erecting at Coventry a fitting memorial of the
martyr-soldier. Congress was applied to for several years, but was slow
in appropriating money to honor the dead,--strangely unlike England in
honoring her martyrs, as will be seen later.
Appeals were made to the State legislature, and Stuart, Hale's earliest
biographer and sincere admirer, used his influence as a legislator in
securing an appropriation of twelve hundred and fifty dollars. The
women of Coventry redoubled their zeal, and by fairs, teas, etc., raised
a sufficient sum, added to the grant from the legislature and
contributions from some prominent men of the country, to pay for the
cenotaph. It is a pyramidal shaft, resting on a base of steps, with a
shelving projection one-third of the way up the pedestal. The material
is of hewn Quincy granite. It was designed by Henry Austin of New Haven.
It is fourteen feet square at the base and forty-five feet high. It was
completed under the superintendence of Solomon Willard, architect of
Bunker Hill Monument, at a cost of about four thousand dollars.
The inscription on the north side is, "Captain Nathan Hale, 1776"; on
the west, "Born at Coventry, June 6, 1755"; on the east, "Died at New
York, Sept. 22, 1776"; on the south, "I only regret that I have but one
life to lose for my country."
The monument stands on elevated ground. "Its site is particularly
fine;... on the north it overlooks a beautiful lake, while on the east
it looks through a captivating natural vista to greet the sun."
With the planning of this monument began the revival of interest in
Nathan Hale's short but splendid career that is still gathering strength
and will eventually establish his name among those of the bravest
American patriots.