[Gutenberg 63119] • The Two Spies · Nathan Hale and John André

This volume was published in 1904.

From the Introduction

THIS little volume contains a brief account of the most

important events in the life-career of two notable spies in

our War for Independence, NATHAN HALE and JOHN ANDRE.

They were both young men, well educated, endowed with

genius and ability for conspicuous achievements, brave and

accomplished soldiers, pure and virtuous in private char-

acter, truthful, manly, refined in thoughts and manners, hand-

some in person, lovely in disposition, and beloved by all

who knew them.

Yet they were spies !

" Spies," says Vattel, " are generally condemned to capi-

tal punishment, and not unjustly, there being scarcely any

other way of preventing the mischief which they may do.

For this reason a man of honor, who would not expose

himself to die by the hand of a common executioner, ever

declines serving as a spy. He considers it beneath him,

as it can seldom be done without some kind of treachery."

May not a spy be a man of lofty honor, and act under

the inspiration of disinterested patriotism? Stratagem, an

artifice or scheme for deceiving an enemy in war, is re-

garded as honorable, but is it not seldom exercised " with-

out some kind of treachery " ?

It is the motive which gives true character to the deed.

When the motive is a purely mercenary one, the deed is

dishonorable ; when it is the lofty one of a desire to serve

one s country or his race, unselfishly, the act is certainly

honorable. Nathan Hale truthfully said, " Every kind of

service necessary for the public good becomes honorable

by being necessary."

The motives of the two spies were expressed by them

selves. Hale said : " I wish to be useful. If the exigencies

of my country demand a peculiar service, its claims to the

performance of that service are imperious." Andre avowed

that in the enterprise in which he was engaged all he sought

" was military glory, the applause of his king and country,

and, perhaps, a brigadiership."

The last words uttered by Andre under the gibbet indi-

cated that his supreme thought at that moment was of him

self. He said to the American officers present, " I request

you, gentlemen, that you will bear me witness to the world

that I die like a brave man." Hale's last words upon the

ladder indicated that his supreme thought at that moment

was of his country. He said, " I only regret that I have but

one life to lose for my country ! "

In 1856 a "Life of Captain Nathan Hale," by I. W.

Stuart, was published at Hartford, in a small volume of 230

pages. In 1861 " The Life and Career of Major John An

dre," by Winthrop Sargeant, was published at Boston in a

small octavo volume of nearly 500 pages. It is an exhaust-

ive work. To these two books I acknowledge much in

debtedness.

The spirited pen-and-ink sketches which illustrate this

little volume were largely copied from original drawings by

the author; also from other original drawings and auto-

raphs. The two pictures, Cunningham destroying Hales

Letters, and The Tournament, are original designs by the

artist.