The life of George Washington, as spymaster, has to be one of the great mysteries of early America. Washington, among his other qualities, seemed to have an impressive capacity to pick superb spies.
Many of whom were women, whose names are either missing, or still kept as secrets today, likely because some were English noblewomen.
Only Nathan Hale, who seemed to be missing a few vital brain gears, was the only one ever caught. And though it is rarely mentioned, Hale seemed to be determined to become a martyr. The British were more inclined to transport him back to England to face trial, likely to result in a prison term.
But he got his wish. In addition, because he was executed as a spy, the Americans were inclined to be as harsh when they captured Major Andre, even though everybody who knew Andre, even as a spy, liked him, and truly wished they didn’t have to hang him.
What seems like gentlemanly excess was indeed the case, because the colonies had been appalled by the utter savagery of the French and Indian War, followed by Pontiac’s Rebellion, impressive in their murderous brutality even by modern standards. For this reason, both the British and Americans tried hard to “keep it polite”, if at all possible.
Which wasn’t always possible, of course. But the relatively few acts of depravity committed during the much larger American Revolution, still stand in contrast to the two wars that proceeded it, even though the Revolution had many veterans from the previous wars.
Your family’s history could definitely be a mini-series!
Thanks for your post...the story of Nathan Hale is all the more remarkable since his capture was coordinated by none other than Robert Rogers of Roger's Rangers fame during the French and Indian War.
Roger's story is a sad one, in that he became a drunk and wandered around the colonies rambling on with an incoherent politics. After Washington refused his offer, he joined the Brits.