“I only regret I have but one life to lose for my country.” — Nathan Hale

The story of Nathan Hale is one we all learned about in school at some point. But with many stories from America’s early years, it can be difficult to remember the context behind them…and easy to forget the people who lived them. With America’s 250^th anniversary coming up, we’ve been thinking lately about those foundational stories, and have been trying to re-learn them. Nathan Hale’s is especially interesting to us, so in honor of Independence Day, we thought it would be good to share his story with you.

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Most Americans don’t know this anymore, but George Washington was one of the greatest generals in history…at retreating.

That’s not a criticism, because he really didn’t have a choice in the matter. His army was always outmanned, out-trained, and outgunned by the British. It was all he could do just to keep his soldiers together in the face of overwhelming odds. In many ways, his goal was to simply make the war last for as long as he could, by nearly any means necessary.

One of those means was using spies.

Spying has often been seen as something dishonorable, especially in the 1700s. But Washington knew that his only chance was to know exactly where the British were, where they were going, and where they were likely to strike next. This was never truer than in the summer of 1776, when the Continental Army lost to the British on Long Island and was forced to evacuate New York City. Soon, they’d retreat through New Jersey all the way to Pennsylvania. So, desperate for information, Washington put out a call for volunteers to spy on the British camps. To be successful would bring no glory; to be discovered would bring certain death.

Only one man stepped forward. That man was Nathan Hale.

Who was Nathan Hale? He was a 21-year-old schoolteacher from Connecticut. His great-grandfather had taken part in the Salem witch trials, first supporting them before changing his mind and speaking out against them. His uncle founded one of America’s first daily newspapers.

When the Revolution began, Hale joined the Connecticut militia but did not initially fight. Then, on July 4, 1775, he received a letter from a friend who witnessed the siege of Boston.

“Was I in your condition,” the letter said, “more extensive service would be my choice. The honor of our God, a glorious country, and a happy constitution is what we have to defend.”¹

After reading it, Hale immediately enlisted in the Continental Army.

 Fast forward a year. When Hale volunteered, his friends tried to talk him out of it. Spying was too difficult, too dangerous, and most importantly, “Who respects the character of a spy?”

“Every kind of service,” Hale replied, “becomes honorable by being necessary.”²

So, armed with nothing but his diploma (his cover story was to act like a local schoolteacher in search of work), Hale made his way behind enemy lines. The Declaration of Independence had been signed barely sixty-six days before. The country was only two months old.

Hale began by making notes on British troop movements. But before he could make it back or transmit anything, parts of the city went up in flames. (To this day, it’s unclear exactly how the fire started.) Hale was trapped…and soon discovered. According to one story, someone who knew Hale spotted him and turned him over to the British. Back then, spies were considered to be illegal combatants. As a result, Hale had no right to a trial and was sentenced to death by hanging. But one British officer he spoke with was touched by his “gentle dignity and high intentions.”² In his diary, the officer wrote that Hale,

“…behaved with great composure and resolution, saying he thought it the duty of every good officer to obey any orders given him by his Commander-in-Chief…and [that all Patriots] should be at all times prepared to meet death in whatever shape it might appear.”¹

On the morning of his execution, Hale was calm and only asked to write letters to his family. Then, according to another British officer, who told it to an American captain the next day under a flag of truce, Hale’s last words were: “I only regret I have but one life to lose for my country.”

Some historians have wondered whether Hale really did say those words, but there’s no reason to really doubt it. He was likely paraphrasing a famous line from Cato, one of the most popular plays of the 18^th century, and one Hale certainly would have seen. In the play, it goes like this:

How beautiful is death, when earned by virtue! Who would not be that youth?

What pity is it, that we can die but once to serve our country.

It’s worth noting that, in the years that followed, several accounts of Hale’s death were published in New England papers. All used somewhat different words. According to one, Hale said, “if he had ten thousand lives, he would lay them all down.” Another version: “I am so satisfied with the cause…that my only regret is that I have not more lives than one to offer in its service.” But though the words varied, Hale’s final message always stays the same: He would do it again if he had to.

Small wonder that the British commanding officer refused to deliver Hale’s letters. “The rebels,” he said, “should never know they had a man who could die with so much firmness.”²

With our nation’s first 250 years falling behind us, and the next 250 ahead, we think it’s more important than ever that we re-learn about our national stories and the people behind them…so we can do a better job of living up to their example. Ours is a nation built on service, sacrifice, and patriotism. And while none of us, hopefully, will ever have to die for our country, we can all do our best to live for it.

We’re so grateful for this nation we live in, and for the people who built it. We’re thankful for the last 250 years…and we can’t wait to see where America goes over the next 250. Happy Independence Day!

Sincerely,

Barbara B. Hudock CIMA®, CPM®
Chief Executive Officer
Founding Partner

Michael J. Hudock, Jr., CPM®
President and Founding Partner
Wealth Consultant

1 “Captain Nathan Hale,” Connecticut Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, sarconnecticut.org/captain-nathan-hale-1755-1776-2/

2 Thomas Fleming, 1997, Liberty! The American Viking Penguin.