Nathan Hale: Our Country's Young Hero

Heroes are born, not made. They are great men and women of character who rise to the occasion.  While being educated at Yale, in one school debate Nathan took the controversial side that females should be educated. After he graduated and taught school (only men allowed nationwide at traditional schools) he taught females early in the am before his school would begin. When he joined the service and became a captain and the enlistments were expiring in his troup, he offered his own wages to his men if they would extend their service for just one month while Washington desperately tried to recruit. Speaking of wages, on 10/30/1775, he and a fellow officer Captain Hull made a formal request to General Washington to be paid captain's salaries but it was denied. Pay issues never interfered with loyalty to his country at time when the Continental Congress was practically broke. Nathan Hale did not have the character or capacity for bitterness. When Washington asked for volunteers to spy on the British  in New York, no one volunteered so Nathan was asked. He rose to the call despite the dangerous nature of the mission and discouragement from his close friends.  Heroism knows no age. Although only 21 when caught with maps and drawings on his person while attempting to cross back to the American lines (his mission almost complete), he did not flinch. He was caught red handed and there was no escape. For Nathan, that meant owning up and exhibiting no fear.  He admitted who he was and faced the punishment stoically. He made no special execution requests. This is in contrast to the most famous and beloved British spy, John Andre, who requested to be shot by a firing squad (request was denied) rather than hanged.  Young Nathan Hale was brave, diligent and of powerful moral character. He lived by the motto: "A man out never to lose a moment's time. If he put off a thing from one minute to the next, his reluctance is increased." As an officer, he wrote "It is of the utmost importance an officer should be anxious to know his duty, but of greater that he should carefully perform what he does know: the present irregular state of the army is owing to a capital neglect in both of these." He was prescient  and George Washington later had Baron von Steuben teach discipline to the army. Nathan Hale was smart, generous, a visionary and brave. He died nobly for freedom to reign in this country. May we honor his sacrifice by doing the most we can to protect those freedoms we enjoy due to his and others' sacrifices.