Nathan Hale (June 6, 1755 – September 22, 1776) was an
American soldier and spy for the
Continental Army during the
American Revolutionary War. He volunteered for an
intelligence-gathering mission in
New York City but was captured by the British and executed. His
last words before being hanged were purported to be "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." Hale has long been considered an American hero and, in 1985, he was officially designated the state hero of Connecticut.