Hale Nathan Essay Research Paper Nathan Hale

Hale, Nathan Essay, Research Paper

Nathan Hale – Introduction

Nathan Hale was no doubt a hero of the American revolution. He was a serious young individual and was well educated. There are many accounts of his appearance and personality, and throughout all my research I have not seen anything negative. It was (is) known that he was kind, gentle, religious, athletic, and smart. He risked all this, to help his country, America.

Nathan Hale

Hale, born in Coventry, Connecticut was born on June 6, 1755. Hale was the middle child kid in the family, he was the 6th out of 10. Hale was born into two very respectable families, Richard Hale and Elizabeth Strong. They were strong Puritans and encouraged religion, work and education. His father, Richard, was a farmer and a minister of the church in Coventry. As a child Nathan was sick often and had to be educated by the local Reverend. It is said that this Reverend deeply increased his love of learning and made Nathan want to teach.

Both Nathan and his older brother Enoch went to Yale College in 1769. They entered at the ages of 14 (Nathan) and 16 (Enoch). At the time Yale provided much education in religion, perfect for Nathan and his parents. Yale mostly prepared their students for the Ministry, although students were not required to learn that. Nathan and his brother had fit in well at Yale. They were both in a secret fraternity called “Linonia.” In this “group” they discussed the issues of the day, astronomy, literature, and the ethics of slavery. The room where they discussed these things is still standing. Nathan graduated from Yale with honors at the age of eighteen.

Like many of the graduates his initial job was teaching. The purpose of this was to make a living while finding a better job (teachers were not paid much then). He taught in East Haddam. This was not a good experience for Nathan, in East Haddam. In East Haddam he complained of his lack of mail and he was very lonely. He was ecstatic when, a few months later, he was offered a great job at a prestigious school in New London.

New London was much better than East Haddam. His classes consisted of about 30 men whom he taught Latin, writing, and mathematics. In 1774 he also made a summer morning class for women from 5 to 7 am. Also in late 1774 he was offered a permanent teaching job. After a while he came to a conclusion, he accepted. That year he, with many others joined the local militia. His enthusiasm for the military was admired greatly.

When the outbreak of the American Revolution happened in April, many of the militia.s groups went to fight in Massachusetts. Hale.s group went, but he was left behind. He was not allowed to fight because of his teaching contract. In early July, Nathan received a letter from a friend telling him to come and fight. The day Nathan received this letter he decided to go and fight. Nathan marched off with his crew of men, off for a great adventure.

At the siege of Boston, Hale kept a daily diary. The entries told of the activities of a young officer. He enjoyed military life, trying to be the best officer he could. He was so happy there, he wouldn.t accept leave if he could get it (which he couldn.t).

When the army was reorganized in January of 1776, several men asked to be under his command. Therefore he was the leader of his 19th CT regiment. Washington.s army moved to Manhattan to try and prevent the British from taking over New York city. Nathan spent six months there building forts and preparing for the inescapable battle.

When the British invaded Long Island, Hale had still not seen any combat. His crew had guarded forts which were never attacked. Although there are numerous sources which say that he invaded a British bunker to steal some supplies.

On September 1, 1776, with the British in command of Western long Island Hale was invited to command one of the four groups who would patrol the Westchester and Manhattan shorelines. Washington knew that he could not defend all of Manhattan, and he desperately needed to know where the British were going to attack, he needed a spy. At this point Hale volunteered to spy on the British and go behind enemy lines on Long Island. This job was not only dangerous, it was considered highly dishonorable, and unworthy of a gentleman, and he even faced the risk of getting hanged. Hale.s best army buddy, Captain William Hull tried to talk him out of it but Hale said it was for the “public good.” Most likely he also wanted to do something worthwhile for a change (and wanted a good adventure).

Nathan put on an old coat and hat. He left his guns with his friends. Captain Pond, a local fisherman was to take him to Long Island. The captain left Nathan on a lonely beach saying “I will come back for you in three days.”

Captain Pond sailed away. Nathan walked across dozens of fields until he came to a road. He heard footsteps. “Who are you.” Asked a redcoat,

“I am a teacher” the redcoat looked suspicious, but rode away on his horse. Nathan, now scared, walked with a quick step. He walked miles and miles that day. He came to a point where all he saw was red, redcoats. He talked to the redcoats, gaining intelligence. He looked at the king.s guns and he drew everything on his paper and hid them in his shoe. He heard the Americans fighting with the British and then he realized that he was