America’s history is filled with forgotten heroes, and June 6th marks the 261st birthday of Nathan Hale, America’s first spy. It shouldn’t be surprising if you haven’t heard of him, Nathan isn’t well known outside of Connecticut, where he was born in 1755, and is remembered as the official state hero. Hale was also a graduate of Yale University, class of 1773, and went on to become a school teacher for two years before joining the Revolution.
Hale’s story and title of “America’s first spy” comes from one particular folly that ultimately led to his death. This is the folly was not Hales, but George Washingtons. In 1776, the British army took control of New York City on Manhattan Island and the American Army was forced to retreat to Harlem Heights. Seizing New York was a large blow to the Americans supplies and ego. The following weeks saw the Battle of Kips Bay, which was a medium sized skirmish between the British and American forces and lead to further retreat of the American Army along with more casualties than expected on the American side. The idea of burning down New York City was proposed to Washington, "Washington and Congress rejected the counsel of some that the city be set on fire by departing soldiers as a means to deny a comfortable home to British soldiers during the coming winter" (http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1274.html). In an attempt to gather information, Washington came up with the idea to send a spy into the city to gather intelligence. A request was made for volunteers for this dangerous mission. The response and enthusiasm were sparse at best.
Lt. Colonel Thomas Knowlton, also from Connecticut, was the leader of an elite group known as "Knowlton's Rangers” of which Nathan Hale, a Captain by September, was a member. During the officers meeting in which Knowlton told his men about the request of Washington all of the older soldiers remained silent. Hale stood and accepted the mission. He was 21at the time, and utterly untrained for anything other than a minor battle. "Poor planning almost guaranteed the mission`s failure from the beginning. Hale was to act alone rather than as one of several spies dispatched for the same purpose" (http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h550.html). Hale was sent out as soon as possible. He was alone, with only the set of civilian clothes on his back. The fact he wasn't in uniform was important; it would give him the chance to go along undetected, presenting himself as no more than a simple school teacher who was interested in the war and friendly with any Red Coat who didn't have enough money to finish getting as drunk as they liked. The downside is that if he was caught, he would be hanged for treason as was protocol due to the lack of military affiliation represented in uniform.
Hale spent the total of one week in British occupied New York, gathering information and hiding his findings in his shoe, without the use of any code. On the night of September 21, 1776, Hale was supposed to be picked up by an American soldier in a row boat. He waited for this ride long past the time when it was due, and when one finally came into view he flagged it down. On board was not any American, but British soldiers who had been patrolling the area. Hale was taken captive and interrogated by General Howe of the British Army. Without the chance to a fair and just trial Hale was sentenced to death by hanging, to be carried out in the morning. Nathan Hale was hanged as a traitor to the British Crown first thing the morning of September 22, 1776. His body was buried in an unmarked grave which no one has ever located, and his death was not a widespread headline.
Hales "disappearance" was felt mostly by his immediate family, who didn't learn until nearly ten years later what had happened to Hale. The loss of the information was a major blow to the American's plans, but in the end that loss didn't have a long lasting effect. What did have a long lasting effect was what was sparked in the brain of Benjamin Tallmadge, Hale's best friend from his time at Yale University. Tallmadge was "instrumental in organizing a spy ring to relay information to George Washington, the Commander-in-Chief, and keep him informed of the British activities around New York City and Long Island" (http://www.btdistrict.org/id124.htm). The name of this ring was the Culper Spy Ring, and it was founded by Tallmadge because of the sacrifice Hale had made. Tallmadge recruited only a handful of men to his ring, thus to insure the lowest possibility of betrayal. Then men chosen first were friends of Tallmadge, Caleb Brewster and Abraham Woodhull. (http://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/culper-spy-ring) Not only is this organization basically the cornerstone of foundation that would form today’s CIA, it has also "been credited with uncovering information involving the treasonous correspondence between Benedict Arnold and John Andre" (http://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/culper-spy-ring) the most famous case of treason in American History.
This folly of Washington's - sending in a completely untrained man - could have resulted in absolute disaster. In a way it did, for Hale himself and his family, but what should be remembered is that Hale's bravery inspired others to learn from his mistake and improve upon it. Folly is almost always followed by negativity and regret, however Washington's decision led to something that impacted America for generations, lasting even to this day. Though the founding men are seldom heard of, we have their memory everywhere around us. Nathan Hale's statue stands on the campus of Yale University and outside of the CIA, and the title of America's First Spy will always be his. Benjamin Tallmadge holds the legacy of indirectly founding the CIA because he's the first one to get an organizedand trained group of spies together.
It’s fitting that Nathan Hale’s birthday is so close to Memorial Day because he is one of the people who are lost to history, whose story doesn’t get told often. He is someone who fought for the foundation of his country, and didn't live to see the end of the war. There are so many like him from across the pages of history that it is depressing to contemplate their numbers. So take time to reflect on those who are lost, because although you may not know their names, their lives mattered and your life, my life, our lives may not be what they are if it wasn’t for them.
