171. A Brave Man's Death (1776)
ANONYMOUS
Nathan Hale was a graduate of Yale, and was teaching school when the war broke out. At the earnest request of Washington he agreed to act as a spy, and was captured and hung. The heroic episode made a great impression in favor of the patriots. —Bibliography: Tyler, Literary History of the Revolution, II, 183-186; Winsor, Narrative and Critical History, VI, 333-334; Benson J. Lossing, The Two Spies, 3-34.
THE breezes went steadily thro' the tall pines,
- A saying "oh ! hu-ush ! " a saying "oh ! hu-ush ! "
As stilly stole by a bold legion of horse,
- For Hale in the bush, for Hale in the bush.
"Keep still ! " said the thrush as she nestled her young,
- In a nest by the road ; in a nest by the road.
"For the tyrants are near, and with them appear,
- What bodes us no good, what bodes us no good."
The brave captain heard it, and thought of his home,
- In a cot by the brook ; in a cot by the brook.
With mother and sister and memories dear,
- He so gaily forsook ; he so gaily forsook.
Cooling shades of the night were coming apace,
- The tattoo had beat ; the tattoo had beat.
The noble one sprang from his dark lurking place,
- To make his retreat ; to make his retreat.
He warily trod on the dry rustling leaves,
- As he pass'd thro the wood ; as he pass'd thro the wood;
And silently gain d his rude launch on the shore,
- As she play'd with the flood ; as she play'd with the flood.
The guards of the camp, on that dark, dreary night,
- Had a murderous will ; had a murderous will.
They took him and bore him afar from the shore,
- To a hut on the hill ; to a hut on the hill.
No mother was there, nor a friend who could cheer,
- In that little stone cell ; in that little stone cell.
But he trusted in love, from his father above.
- In his heart, all was well ; in his heart, all was well
