Statue of Nathan Hale, New Haven, CT - Philatelic Photographs on Waymarking.com

Nathan Hale of Coventry Connecticut graduated from Yale in 1773 and was working as a schoolteacher when the American Revolution broke out a couple of years later. Filled with patriotic fervor, he joined the Connecticut militia and soon found himself part of the Continental Army under the command of George Washington.

In September of 1776 the Continental Army was attempting to defend New York City but found itself overwhelmed by British Army and Naval forces. Having escaped with his army to Manhattan, Washington was desperate for military intelligence and requested someone to go behind enemy lines and spy on their positions and tactics. Young Nathan Hale was the only volunteer.

Apparently, espionage was not Nathan Hale’s forte as he was quickly caught and subsequently hanged for his actions. Before his execution, he was allowed to make a speech which, by at least one secondhand account, contained the words ‘I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.’ Whether this is fact or legend may never be known but it is in keeping with his character and demeanor and spirit of patriotism.

The statue was commissioned by Yale University and dedicated in 1914. Like Nathan Hale, sculptor Bela Lyon Pratt was born in Connecticut and graduated from Yale. Unlike Hale though, we know what Pratt looked like. No contemporary portrait of Nathan Hale exists so Pratt used a model for the statue. Several copies of this statue exist: in Washington DC (cast after the stamp was issued), in Chicago, at Fort Nathan Hale in Connecticut and elsewhere.

The stamp was issued in 1925 when fractional rates were introduced for certain third class mailings. Its basic design is similar to that of the other regular postage stamps of the era.

Connecticut’s state bird is the robin and its state flower is the mountain laurel. I don’t know if every state has one, but in 1985 Nathan Hale was designated as Connecticut’s official state hero.

Stamp Issuing Country: United States Date of Issue: 4-Apr-1925 Denomination: ½ cent Color: olive brown Stamp Type: Single Stamp Relevant Web Site: Not listed

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