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Nathan Hale – Revolutionary soldier, America’s first spy, and the state hero of Connecticut – is best known for his patriotic last words, “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.” But did he really say them? Much of his life has been lost to history, and it has been nearly impossible to know the real NATHAN HALE. Now, M. William Phelps’ comprehensive biography – the first in a century – gets the entire story of this fearless young soldier, who set the standard for patriotism.
This book uses Hale’s own writings, letters from his friends, and a new journal discovered in 2000 to follow him from his childhood in rural Connecticut to his untimely death at the hands of British soldiers – the first account of his capture and time behind enemy lines. The son of a preacher, Hale attended Yale along with his brother, Enoch. He was an extremely popular student, mischievous but hard-working, and a favorite of the girls in New Haven. It was during his years at Yale that Nathan honed the intellect, loyalty, and camaraderie that would last until his death. |
