But One Life: The Story of Nathan Hale by Samantha Wilcoxson; Interesting Historical Fiction Novel About Nathan Hale Goes Beyond His Final Words
By Julie Sara Porter
Bookworm Reviews
Spoilers: Probably if it wasn't for Nathan Hale’s final words, we probably wouldn't know much about him at all. Nathan Hale (1755-1776) was a school teacher who took up arms during the American Revolutionary War. He volunteered for an intelligence gathering mission in New York City but was caught, exposed, and eventually executed. His final words were, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” These words proved to be an inspiration to many of the Patriots fighting for American independence and are still remembered as one of the most important quotes in American history.
Just as she did with her previous work, Luminous: The Story of a Radium Girl, Samantha Wilcoxson's But One Life: The Store of Nathan Hale, brings to life a historical figure who lived during important times. They are written as regular normal people that are caught in dramatic and tragic events that are beyond their scope. They heed the call, rise to the occasion, and make their mark during their time and for the future.
Wilcoxson never loses sight of Hale’s ordinariness. In fact, that is a key part of this book. Most of the plot focuses on his university years and his teaching career. The Revolutionary War does not even kick off until halfway through the book. His time as a spy only features in the last two or three chapters (more on that later). In fact during University, Hale is seen as a tag along kid brother following his elder sibling Enoch around. This earns him the nickname “Secondus” (Second) to Enoch’s “Primus.”
Hale is someone who stumbles upon the world at large rather than charging headlong into it. At Yale, he and his classmates which include future spymaster, Benjamin Tallmadge are aware of events like the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party but are not involved in them. Mostly they study and debate whether taxation without representation is unjust and whether they are really considered British or American citizens. Like many college students before and since, Hale and his friends become aware of a larger world around them and discover their political and social identities, emphasizing and sometimes annoying everyone else with them. Their early contributions to American independence consist of knowing that such a thing is possible and identifying as Americans. They probably never thought that the road to independence would become so bloody and violent.
Hale’s post-University but pre-Revolution career is a series of ups and downs, some of it affected by the changing world and some of it from his own difficulties. His first teaching job in Haddan Landing is such a disaster that he resigns before Christmas and accepts a much better position in New London. His courtship with Betsey Adams is troubled by contrasting ideals and differing future plans. He even becomes more involved with the concepts of liberty and independence instead of just talking about it. He has the radical notion of educating girls as well as boys so they can embrace the enlightened values of freedom and education. He speaks out in support of the Suffolk Resolves, a declaration that rejected the Massachusetts Government Act and resulted in the boycott of imported goods because of the Intolerable Acts. When the shot is heard around the world at the Battle of Lexington and Concord, Hale officially enlists. This decision becomes a deal breaker for Betsey who ends their relationship but it leads Hale directly towards his inevitable destiny.
Hale’s military service is rich in details about the hardships that soldiers and civilians endured during war time. From the freezing conditions, to frequent illnesses, changing orders, disgruntled enlistees, and of course the threat of violence and death in battle, this approach takes out the mindless propaganda and leaves the realism that is involved in warfare. Hale’s hopes boil down to staying alive and hoping that this fight will be worth it in the end. Maybe his country will have its independence and Hale might gain some significance. It’s only towards the end that both goals come to fruition but not without Hale making the ultimate sacrifice.
While the book does a great job of humanizing Hale’s journey and making him a real person, it also confused me at first. I read most of it wondering when we were going to read about Hale becoming a spy. Why was the most important historical fact about Hale pushed so far towards the back of the book? After all other books like 355: The Women of Washington’s Spy Ring by Kit Sergeant put espionage front and center and Wilcoxson only devotes the final third to Hale’s missions. I was curious until I read the chapters that covered Hale’s spying. It turns out that he wasn’t really that good at it.
In Wilcoxson’s laudable effort to humanize Hale and the other early American patriots, she makes the Reader aware of their flaws. While Hale was a dedicated Patriot, an excellent soldier, and probably a terrific forward thinking teacher, he was not so adept at the spy game. In his first and only assignment, he manages to gather some intelligence but his cover is easily blown and he is very quickly discovered. It’s kind of humorous especially compared to Sergeant’s work where Meg Moncrieff Coughlin, Elizabeth Burgin, and Sally Townsend have much more successful multiple missions as members of the Culper Spy Ring and one may have even been the notorious “Agent 355,” one of Washington’s most successful female spies and who still to this day has remained unidentified. I was disappointed when I came upon Hale’s chapters and preferred the rest of the book, but after much thought I realized that was the point.
Nathan Hale was not some super spy secret agent. He was just an ordinary guy thrust into an extraordinary situation. One that in some ways he was unprepared for, but rose to the occasion anyway. He was someone who was proud to be one of the many who fought and died for his country and ultimately summarized those feelings with the right words.
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