NATHAN HALE
Nathan Hale was another courageous spy. He was born in Coventry, CT and he was educated at Yale. Hale was a Patriot in the Continental Army, and and one of the first American spys. He joined a Connecticut regiment after the war had started, and served in the siege of Boston. Nathan was commissioned a captain in 1776. On September 21st, he volunteered to enter the British lines to gather information about the enemy. Later he was captured by a British General and was ordered to be hanged the next morning. Seconds before execution, Hale was asked if he had any last words. His response was:
"I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country."
"I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country."
BENEDICT ARNOLD
Benedict Arnold was born January 14, 1741 in Norwich, Connecticut. When he grew up, he joined the army and became captain of the governors guard. He was successful in his first part of his career in the army and this raised his social status. Throughout his later years, his social status went down, his wife died, and his rank as an officer went down several times. He was constantly disagreeing with the congress and they were constantly infuriating him. In his second marrage, he married an 18 year old woman when he was 38, and this raised his social status greatly. Not long after, the congress did one more thing to upset him. As a result, that winter he secretly traded to the British. Benedict was very useful to them because he was very close to Washington from all those years of fighting. Later, Benedict's courier was found with a letter in his sock to the British General. The courier was brought to British Generals and he was to be beheaded. When Benedict heard of this news, he escaped on the boat his courier was supposed to use, then fled to London. He was rewarded for his services and received land for him and his family to live in Canada. Benedict tried to become a ship merchant, but they had no use for a someone with limkited physical abilities resulting f. Although he never found an actual job, he did not live much longer so his reward money sufficed until he died.
http://www.revolutionary-war.net/benedict-arnold.html
http://www.revolutionary-war.net/benedict-arnold.html
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin was sent to England several times to spy out many different things in parliament. Because his family was loyal to the crown, it was not hard to get in and out of there without any suspicion. When he shared his views of the revolution with William, his son, he disagreed. After he had finished helping with the draft of the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin was forced to throw his son into Jail. Although this did break his heart like it would any father, his freedom then was more important. This caused he and his son to permanently seperate. Later William would becaome a spy and have to spy on his father.
http://www.revolutionary-war.net/benjamin-franklin.html
http://www.revolutionary-war.net/benjamin-franklin.html