Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1901-06-28

And yet General Washington was COM
PEELED to confess:
We cannot learn. nor have we been
able TO possess. the least information
Of late"
Therefore he wanted man. He
wanted an intelligent man, cool-head-
ed skillful, brave. to cross the East
River 10 Long Island, enter the en-
emy's camp and get information as to
his strength and intentions lie went
to Colonel Knowlton. commandig a re-
markably efficient regiment from Con-
necticut, and requested him to ascer-
tain if this man so sorely needed could
be found in his command. Colonel
knOwl,on called his officers together,
stated the wishes OF General Washing
ton, and. without urging the enter
prise upon any individual, left the mat
ter TO their reflections.
Captain Nathan Hale. "A brilliant
youth of p, recently graduated from
Yale college. was one of those who
reflected upon the subject. He soon
reached a conclusion. He was of the
very flower of the young men of New
England and one of the best of the
younger soldiers of the patriot army.
He had been educated for the minis
try. and his motive in adopting for a
time the profession of arms was purely
patriotic. This We know from the
familiar records OF his life at the time
har to I,
In addition 10 his other gifts and
graces. he was handsome, vigorous and
athletic. all in an extraordinary de-
gree. If he had lived in our day he
might have pulled the stroke oar at
New London or pitched for the college
nine
The officers were conversing in
group. No one had as yet spoken the
decisive word Colonel Knowlton ap-
pealed to a French sergeant, an old
soldier of former wars, and asked him
to volunteer.
mo, no." said he II am ready to
fight the British at any place and time,
but | do not feel willing to go among
them to be hung up like a dog"
Captain Hale joined the group of
officers. He said to Colonel Knowl-
ton:
Il Will undertake it,
Some of his best friends remOn-
strated One of them. afterwards the
famous Gen. William Hull, then cap
tain in Washington's army, has re-
corded Hale's reply to his own attempt
to dissuade him.
Il think" said Hale. Il owe to my
country the accomplishment of an OBJ
| ject so important | am fully sensible
of the consequences OF discovery and
capture in such a situation. But for d
year l have been attached to the army,
and have not rendered any material
| service. while receiving a compensa-
ton for which | make no return.
wish to be useful. and every kind of
service necessary for the public good
| becomes honorable by being neces-
sary"
He spoke. as General Hull remem-
bered, with earnestness and decision,
as one who had considered the mat
ter well, and had made up his mind.
| Having received his instructions. he
travelled fifty miles along the Sound as
| far as Norwalk. in Connecticut One
who saw him there made very wise
remark upon him. to the effect that he
was too good looking to go as q spy.
He could not deceive. Some scrubby
fellow ought to have gone" At Nor
walk he assumed the disguise of a
Dutch schoolmaster. putting on suit
of plain brown clothes and a round
broad brimmed hat. He had no diff
Guilty in crossing the Sound, since he
bore an order from General Washing
ton which placed at his disposal al
the vessels belonging to Congress. Fol
several days everything appears tC
| have gone well with him. and there is
reason to believe that he passed
through the entire British army with
out detection or even exciting suspi
cion.
Finding the British had crossed tc
New York, he followed them. He made
| us way DdCh 10 I<OHS ioidHu, duu hcdi
ly reached the point opposite Norwall
where he hand originally landed. Rem
dered, perhaps. too bold by success, ht
went into a well-known and popular
tavern, entered into conversation witt
the guests and made himself very
agreeable The tradition is that b,
made himself too agreeable. mar
present, suspecting or knowing tina
he was not the character he had as
sumed, quietly left the room, commun