Read Anywhere and on Any Device!

Subscribe to Read | $0.00

Join today and start reading your favorite books for Free!

Create Free Account

Quick and Easy Sign Up!

It takes less then 1 minute to sign up, then you can enjoy Unlimited eBooks.

Sign Up Browse

Popular Genres

Read Anywhere and on Any Device!

  • Download on iOS
  • Download on Android
  • Download on iOS

The Two Spies: Nathan Hale and John André

The Two Spies: Nathan Hale and John André

Benson John Lossing
3.6/5 ( ratings)
Read Download
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.
Language
English
Pages
188
Format
Kindle Edition

The Two Spies: Nathan Hale and John André

Benson John Lossing
3.6/5 ( ratings)
Read Download
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.
Language
English
Pages
188
Format
Kindle Edition

More books from Benson John Lossing

Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence

4.1/5 ( ratings)

The Declaration of Independence with Short Biographies of the Signers

4.6/5 ( ratings)

Matthew Brady's Illustrated History of The Civil War

3.8/5 ( ratings)

George Washington's Mount Vernon: Mt. Vernon and its Associations Historical, Biographical and Pictorial

4/5 ( ratings)

Lossing's Pictorial Field Book of the War of 1812, Volume 2

4.5/5 ( ratings)

Lossing's Pictorial Field Book of the War of 1812, Volume 1

4.5/5 ( ratings)

Reflections of Rebellion: Hours with the Living Men and Women of the Revolution

5/5 ( ratings)

Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War: Journeys Through the Battlefields in the Wake of Conflict

4.5/5 ( ratings)

Harper's Encyclopædia of United States History, Vol. 8 of 10: From 458 to 1905 (Classic Reprint)

4.5/5 ( ratings)

Harper's Encyclopædia of United States History from 458 to 1905, Vol. 5 of 10: Based Upon the Plan of Benson John Lossing (Classic Reprint)

4.5/5 ( ratings)

Life and Times of Washington, Volume 1

4.5/5 ( ratings)

The Life, Campaigns and Battles of General Ulysses S. Grant, Comprising a Full and Authentic Account of the Famous Soldier, From his Earliest Boyhood to the Present Time ..

4.5/5 ( ratings)

Seventeen Hundred and Seventy-Six, Or, the War of Independence; A History of the Anglo-Americans, from the Period of the Union of the Colonies Against

4.5/5 ( ratings)

Seventeen hundred and seventy-six, or, The war of independence : a history of the Anglo-Americans, from the period of the union of the colonies against the French, to the inauguration [Leather Bound]

4.5/5 ( ratings)

Our Country. A Household History

4.5/5 ( ratings)

The Pictorial Field-Book of The Revolution: Illustrations, by Pen And Pencil, of The History, Biography, Scenery, Relics, and Traditions of the War for Independence (Complete)

4.5/5 ( ratings)

Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History, Vol. 10 of 10: From 458 A. D. to 1906 (Classic Reprint)

4.5/5 ( ratings)

The Countries of the Western World

4.5/5 ( ratings)

Harper's Encyclopaedia of United States History from 458 A.D. to 1902: Based Upon the Plan of Benson John Lossing

4.5/5 ( ratings)

The Declaration of Independence at the National Archives, Including Short Biographies of the Signers

4.5/5 ( ratings)

Rate this book!

Write a review?

loader