Hale as he was known to maltreat other prisoners--that
very Sunday evening spoke of Hale's death to
General Putnam and Captain Alexander Hamilton
at the American outposts where he had been sent
with a flag of truce by General Howe to arrange for
an exchange of prisoners. More was learned when
a flag of truce was sent two days later to the British
lines by General Washington, in answer to the one
on September 22. Two friends of Hale, Captain
Hull and Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Webb, were
among those who went with the flag.

Through these flags of truce--and perhaps
others--were obtained all the positive knowledge
that Hale's friends were ever able to secure; but
the unvarnished story, told by Captain Montressor,
gave all that was essential to reveal to his friends
his manly attitude when in the presence of General
Howe, and his calmness and dignity when he was
awaiting execution; while his last unpremeditated
but immortal words, in reply to Cunningham's
taunt, proved to all his friends that he had died
as he had lived--a Christian patriot, and a
hero.

We may suppose that Nathan Hale himself
had not the remotest idea that anything concerning
his death would ever be made known to his
friends save that, detected as a spy, he had died

[[89]]

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v?