Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-07-01
Hale,s Execution as a Spy.

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him and the powerful enemy, it was of
the utmost Importance that he should
be warned in ample time of their adj
vance. LAS everything" he wrote to
Heath, at Kingsbridge, Sin a manner
depends upon obtaining intelligence of
the enemy's motions, do most earn
estly entreat you and General Clinton
to exert yourselves to accomplish this
most desirable end. Leave no stone
unturned, nor do not stick at expense,
to bring this to pass, as l never was
more uneasy than on account of my
want of knowledge on this score. Keep
constant look-outs," he adds. ''with
good glasses on some commanding
heights that look we'll on to the other
shore"
1t was in this emergency, when a
successful accomplishment of Washing
tons wishes would have been of the
greatest use to the army, that Captain
Hale stepped forward to offer his serv-
ices. 1t happened that he had recently
volunteered to act as one OF the officers
of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Knowl-
toms new corps of Rangers, organized
to scout between the lines, feel the enc
my's position and report directly to the
Communicating Chief. Knowlton was a
gallant officer, a near tOwnsman of
Hale's, and must have known his worth,
or he could not have accepted him for
the Rangers. Early in September,
when Washington's suspense was keen
est, the Colonel preached the matter of
obtaining the desired information to his
own officers, in the hope that some one
of them might be able to serve the
chief The suggestion appears to have
deeply impressed Hale, who. after the
interview with Knowlton went to
talk the subject over with his fellow
officer and college friend Captain VIM.
Hull, of Webb's regiment. This we
know from Hull himself. The two
Captains discussed the question of I'M
dertaking the role of spy. Hull used
every argument to dissuade Hale from
the dangerous service, and appealed to
him as a soldier not to run the risk of
closing his promising career with an
ignominious death. Hale, however, al
though fully sensible of the conse-
quences of capture, could think of moth
ING but duty. He told Hull that for a
year he had been attached to the army
and had rendered no material service;
that he wished to be useful; was unin-
fluenced by the expectation OF promo
ton or pecuniary reward; and so far as
the peculiar duty in question was con-
cerned he felt that every kind of serv-
ice necessary to the public good be-
came honorable by being necessary"
Calmly and firmly deciding the ques-
ton for himself, Hale soon after report
ed to Washington his readiness to en-
ter the British lines in disguise. What
instructions, what advice, what cautions
he received from the General there are
no records to tell us. These facts only
we know certainly: that he suddenly
disappeared from camp, passed up the
Connecticut coast, changed his uniform
for a school-master's garb, crossed to
Huntington, Long Island, and then
made his way to the enemy at Brooklyn
and New York-never to return. After
making satisfactory observations, taking
sketches of works and writing his notes
in Latin, he was on the point of return
ing to the Connecticut shore, when he
was seized and held as spy. A boat
was to have met him at Huntington Bay,
and on the morning of the 18th or 10Th
of September, as he was waiting near
the shore, the supposed craft made its
appearance; but he approached it only
to find that it was yawl from a Brit
ish cruiser lying below, and that retreat
on his part was impossible. Ordered
to surrender, with the guns of the ma
rines leveled at him he yielded to the
situation, was taken to the man-of-war,
conveyed to New York and there deliv-
cred to the military authorities.
At New York, Hale was brought be-
fore Sir William Howe, the English
Commander-in-Chie An American
spy at that time was likely to receive
but trihing consideration. Hale re-
ceived none. Four years later when
Andre was captured, every attention
and comfort was accorded him by
Washington officers during his con-
finement and trial. He himself ex-
pressed his grateful appreciation of
their tenderness. But Andre was the
Adjutant-Gener of the British army
and mixed up with Arnold and Clinton
in dazzling plot to obtain an Ameri-
can stronghold. He was out on ''offi-
ciar' business. In addition, in 1880
both sides were treating each
other with more military respect than
in the first years of the war. In 1776
poor Hale was wretched Continental
rebel as we'll as spy-and punishment
could be neither too swift nor too Sc
we're. Possibly in 1776 an English Off
Ger, caught in the American camp un-
der Hale circumstances, would have
received like treatment, SO far as imme-
diate condemnation was concerned. In
Hale's case certainly the treatment was
summary as well as peculiarly heart
less. The only relief in the picture is
the noble bearing of the prisoner. In
stead of attempting defense. or ex-
planning the papers found upon his per-
son, he frankly declared his rank in
Washington's army, and the object of
his visit to the British camp. If tradi-
ton and meagre records are correct,
the scene of his examination and SEN
tence was the little greenhouse in the
garden of old Beekman mansion, on
Fifty-second Street near First Avenue,
where Howe had fixed his headquarters.
Upon this confession the British Com
it is difficult to see how
he could have done otherwise
nounced him a spy, and ordered his
execution to take place on the follow
ing morning.