Connecticut as a colony and as a state; or, One of the original thirteen; . es hon-orable by being necessary. If the exigencies of my countrydemand a peculiar service, its claims to perform that ser-vice are imperious. To further urgent entreaties to desist from his project,Hale only replies, I will reflect, and do nothing but whatduty demands. We see plainly enough, in the light of events, that hisfurther reflection made no change in his views. To him, theknown wish of Washington, and the urgent needs of the oc-casion, outweighed all other considerations. And amongthese other considerations w
Connecticut as a colony and as a state; or, One of the original thirteen; . es hon-orable by being necessary. If the exigencies of my countrydemand a peculiar service, its claims to perform that ser-vice are imperious. To further urgent entreaties to desist from his project,Hale only replies, I will reflect, and do nothing but whatduty demands. We see plainly enough, in the light of events, that hisfurther reflection made no change in his views. To him, theknown wish of Washington, and the urgent needs of the oc-casion, outweighed all other considerations. And amongthese other considerations we may be sure that there werenone of a personal character. The rest of the short but impressive story of Nathan Haleis well known, but cannot be too often repeated. Disguisedas a schoolmaster, which role his experience of nearly twoyears of school teaching had fitted him to assume, he entersthe British lines, collects probably all the needed informa-tion, and with his hazardous mission accomplished, is takenprisoner by the British while waiting for a boat to bring him 90. • NATHAN HALE CONNECTICUT IN THE REVOLUTION to the American lines. His frank acknowledgment of his er-rand seals his fate, and on the 22d of September this younglife is ended by the hangman, and the young patriot, with theoften quoted words on his lips,—I only regret that I havebut one life to give for my country,—is enrolled amongthe heroes and martyrs of the Revolution. As time goes on,his name grows dearer, his fame grows brighter, and mon-ument after monument marks the grateful tribute of the peo-ple to the young hero whose only thought was of his countrysneed. 91 CHAPTER VThe First British Invasion IN the battle of White Plains, and the actions which fol-lowed, Connecticut forces, as we have seen, per-formed their full share; as they did at the close ofthe year 1776, and the opening of the year 1777 atthe battles of Trenton and Princeton. In these try-ing times, we know how the spirit of the America
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