"I will now make some observations upon the amiable & unfortunate Capt. Nathan Hale whose fate is so well known; for I was with him in the same Regt. both at Boston & New York & until the day of his tragical death; & although of inferior grade in office was always in the habits of friendship & intimacy with him: & my remembrance of his person, manners & character is so perfect that I feel inclined to make some remarks upon them: for I can now in imagination see his person & hear his voice--his person I should say was a little above the common stature in height, his shoulders of a moderate breadth, his limbs strait & very plump: regular features--very fair skin--blue eyes--flaxen or very light hair which was always kept short--his eyebrows a shade darker than his hair & his voice rather sharp or Piercing--his bodily agility was remarkable. I have seen him follow a football & kick it over the tops of the trees in the Bowery at New York (an exercise which he was fond of)--his mental powers seemed to be above the common sort--his mind of a sedate and sober cast, & he was undoubtedly Pious; for it was remarked that when any of the soldiers of his company were sick he always visited them & usually prayed for & with them in their sickness.--A little anecdote I will relate; one day he accidentally came across some of his men in a bye place playing cards--he spoke--what are you doing--this won't do,--give me your cards, they did so, & he chopd them to pieces, & it was done in such a manner that the men were rather pleased than otherwise--his activity on all occasions was wonderful--he would make a pen the quickest & best of any man-- "Innumerable instances of occurrences which took place in the Army I could relate, but who would care for them: Perhaps it may be thought by some that I have already been at the expense of Prolixity. Nobody in these days feels as I do, left here alone, & they cannot if they would, but to me it is a melancholy pleasure to go back to those Scenes of fear & anguish & after the laps of 50 years (1826 was in my 78th year) to rumenate upon them which I think I can do with as bright a recollection as though they were present--One more reflection I will make--why is it that the delicious Capt. Hale should be left & lost in an unknown grave & forgotten!-- "The foregoing Statements were made from Memory & recollection & from documents & Memorandoms which I kept.--ELISHA BOSTWICK." (8) _Edward Everett Hale_ Of the subsequent records of the Hale family no trace remains that is not honorable. Nathan's brother Enoch was settled at Westhampton, Massachusetts, in 1777, where he remained a useful and beloved pastor for sixty years. Enoch's eldest son, Nathan, graduated at Williams College in 1804. He was editor-in-chief of the _Boston Daily Advertiser_ for more than forty years. Nathan's son, Nathan, a Havard graduate, became associate editor of the _Boston Advertiser_.