Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-10-06
NATHAN HALE, THE SPY.
THE MAN VINO BELIEVED ANY SERVICE ron
MS COUNTRY WAS HONORABLE.
Edward Everett Hale.

|
General Howe when he was scarcely
twenty-one years old, was born in Cow
entry, Conn, June 4, 1866. His edu-
cation was conducted with view to
the life of minister. He was trained
in the school TO which America owes
so much, which is willing to push every
doctrine to its ultimate-the school Of
the Puritans, who made America. At
the time of the battle Of Lexington
Hale was not two years out of Yale
college. The picked men of Yale and
Harvard flung themselves into the
army. There are many persons in
this audience who have heard their
fathers and mothers tell Of the spirit
with which Hale taught the Union
school at New London. The school
was of thirty.two boys, about half of
whom were Latiners, and all but one
of the rest were writers. In addition
to this he kept for young ladies,
through the summer from 5 o'clock
to 7 o'clock every morning, another
school, which was attended by about
twenty scholars. The rising of the
sun would seem TO have been of a
different calender from ours, or the
habits of the young people. His
school house was very convenient, he
writes. You have seen it and can
Judge. lie was a favorite in society,
handsome, athletic. frank, wide.awake
in the great popular questions which
excited society, and true to the old
creed Of every Connecticut man-in-
dependence in religion, and independ.
encc in government, he endeared him.
self to young and old. He had. in
his farewell part at New Haven, dis.
cussed the questions whether the edu.
cation of daughters be not more ne.
elected than that of sons. Here he
was in a high way TO reform that
error, if error there was. lie con.
templated seriously making the teach
ing Of the young his profession for
life, and New London his home. Had
he done so you and might have seen
and talked with this delightful old
man. We might have heard him tell
of this and that abortive effort for
freedom which failed because the sons
of Connecticut stayed at home and
left it to bounty.jumpers to fight their
battles. But, thank God, his was an-
other destiny, but this was not to be.
While Hale was n teacher in New
London he was not of age He was
not, therefore, technically freeman"
But he was enrolled in the militia, and
he was profoundly interested in the
military discipline which the time re.
quired. II is his prominence in the
community as a favorite with the
young which permits one of his age to
speak out at the town meeting called
after the battle Of Lexington. He en-.
rolls himself "a a volunteer, writes to
Coventry for his fathers permission to
serve in one of the companies Of the
new establishment, and having, of
course, received that permission from
the sturdy patriot, enlists in Webb's
regiment, the Seventh Connecticut,
asks the proprietors of the school TO
relieve him from further duty. The
regiment was one raised by order of
the general assembly that year for
home defence and for the protection
of the country at large. In this regi.
ment Hale was first lieutenant, and
after the first Of September, captain.
The company consisted of seventy-one
men, and was organized before the
end Of July. lis first service was in
the neighbOrhood Of New London, but
on the fourteenth of September it was
marched, by Washington's order, TO
the camp at Cambridge.
The summer of 1775 was dark sea
son for the American cause. Hale was
q minor no longer; he was of age, aud
Immediately afierward bis country
was new born. Soon afterward Howe
landed with his immense forces. The
patriots concluded rightly that New
York would be their point of attack,
and General Heath was ordered there
with most of the army. Hale made
this march, passing through Norwich
on the way, and through the summer
was in active service. OF this service
a few letters preserve our chief me-
mortal. The first important duty in
which he was engaged was the cutting
out of an English sloop laden with
supplies, which, though under the
guns of the Asia man-Of-war, was not
safe from the audacity of the am
phibious seamen soldiers of Webb's
regiment. At the head of boat load
of men Hale boarded her at midnight
to the pier. Her stores were distrib-
uted as clothing and as food In the
army
| Washington summoned knowlton
to find some volunteer Of intelligence
who would find his way into the Eng
lish lines and bring back trustworthy
information. Knowlton summoned his