The Martyr and the Traitor: Nathan Hale, Moses Dunbar, and the American Revolution

by Virginia DeJohn Anderson

In September 1776, two men from Connecticut each embarked on a dangerous mission. One of the men, a soldier disguised as a schoolmaster, made his way to British-controlled Manhattan and began furtively making notes and sketches to bring back to the beleaguered Continental Army general, George Washington. The other man traveled to New York to accept a captain's commission in a loyalist regiment before returning home to recruit others to join British forces. Neither man completed his mission. Both met their deaths at the end of a hangman's rope, one executed as a spy for the American cause and the other as a traitor to it.

Neither Nathan Hale nor Moses Dunbar deliberately set out to be a revolutionary or a loyalist, yet both suffered the same fate. They died when there was every indication that Britain would win the American Revolution. Had that been the outcome, Dunbar, convicted of treason and since forgotten, might well be celebrated as a martyr. And Hale, caught spying on the British, would likely be remembered as a traitor, rather than a Revolutionary hero.

In The Martyr and the Traitor, Virginia DeJohn Anderson offers an intertwined narrative of men from very similar backgrounds and reveals how their relationships within their families and communities became politicized as the imperial crisis with Britain erupted. She explores how these men forged their loyalties in perilous times and believed the causes for which they died to be honorable. Through their experiences, The Martyr and the Traitor illuminates the impact of the Revolution on ordinary lives and how the stories of patriots and loyalists were remembered and forgotten after independence.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American Revolution, American History, American Revolutionary War, Biography, Military Fiction

272 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2017

About the author

Virginia DeJohn Anderson is Professor of History at the University of Colorado, Boulder. She is the author of New England's Generation: The Great Migration and the Formation of Society and Culture in the Seventeenth Century, Creatures of Empire: How Domestic Animals Transformed Early America, and American Journey: A History of the United States.

Reviews

[Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book was kind of dry. It spent a lot of time covering the differences between the Church of England and other churches in Connecticut during the Revolution. The story of Moses Dunbar the only man executed by Connecticut during the Revolution was interesting. It was good to hear a little of Nathan Hale’s early life but I was really hoping for more about his capture and execution but not much is given just speculation, somehow Nathan Hale met Robert Rogers who found out what he was up to and turned him in. Ok read and it isn’t that long.

[alphonse p guardino · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well researched history/biography of Nathan Hale and Moses Dunbar, two casualties of the American War of Independence. Both were natives of Connecticut.

I already knew the basics of Nathan Hale's brief and fatal career in espionage. This book filled me in on his life, family, friends, and what led him to the spy mission.

And it counters that with the same sort of information regarding Moses Dunbar. Despite relatively extensive reading of histories of the War of Independence, I had never heard of Moses Dunbar. He was about 10 years older than Nathan Hale, and what today might be called working class. Moses leaned toward loyalty to the King, and the community response to his dissent pushed him to volunteer for a Loyalist regiment in New York. He was hanged for treason when he was caught back in Connecticut with an un-dated document indicating he was recruiting for the regiment.

As background to the story of Hale & Dunbar, the author does a good job of discussing how the colonists went from being proud members of the empire at the conclusion of the Seven Years' War* to being resentful of taxes intended to pay off the debts it incurred. She also discusses how the feelings were not universal, especially when it came to breaking with England and the King, and how dissent was more often than not heavily suppressed.


* The Seven Years' War was a global conflict from 1756 to 1763. In US textbooks it is frequently called the French and Indian War.

[Brendan (History Nerds United) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a very interesting premise for a book. Take one of the most well-known American spies and contrast him with someone on the other side who met the same fate.

Nathan Hale is pretty well-known even to the non-history crowd. Held aloft as a symbol of virtue in dying for a country that didn’t exist, Hale uttered immortal words to every American. History, however, is much murkier. Hale was a well educated and true believer in the revolution. He was not a spy, not trained as a spy, and horribly ill-suited for it. It takes the shine off the story a bit, but he did what he did as a patriot and that means something.

Moses Dunbar, by contract, was more disaffected than anything else. His story is nowhere near as interesting and he comes off as more selfish and vindictive than anything else.

Anderson writes a good book for the fanatics of the time period (like me!), but if you don’t want your romantic view of history tampered with then this won’t be up your alley.

[Gwen - Chew & Digest Books - · Rating 4 out of 5]

They say that history is written by the victors and the story of Nathan Hale and Moses Dunbar is proof. It's also interesting that, over time, society can rehabilitate just about anyone's reputation...or at least try to.

Loved the look into a hidden story and the juxtaposition of the two men and their fates. The four stars is because it was a bit slow in the beginning, short on followup, which with the state of records kept at the time isn't the author's fault, and being history, it's not a book for everyone.

Totally unimportant to the review, but it's so interesting that we glorify spies and spy fiction now (think Bond, James Bond), but during the revolution, spying was seen as ungentlemanly and dishonorable. My how times change.

[AG Jerome · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about Nathan Hale, Revolutionary War hero and Moses Dunbar, Loyalist traitor. Turning to letters and primary documents, Ms. Anderson delves into the circumstances that brought both men to a breaking point. Nathan Hale, wealthy, well-liked and educated, maintains contact with his college friends throughout his life. Moses Dunbar is a struggling farmer trying to get enough money together to buy land of his own. A surprise pregnancy brings fatherhood earlier than expected and Moses is in even greater need of money.

Both have been influenced by their families, churches and friends. They meet an end early in their lives, one by hanging and the other by spying for the patriots.
Good reading with copious details that truly give a fascinating picture of two famous (or infamous) men.

[Joe van Wijngaarden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be extremely insightful and enjoyable to read. The two stories show how geographic location, even if only a few miles, really shaped the mindset of many would be Revolutionary War participants in the northern colonies. I liked how the stories were told around each other, and how Anderson compared the actions, beliefs and movements of the two protagonists. This book was assigned reading in one of my history classes in college, and I definitely recommend it to anyone interested in the origin of espionage in the US.

[Margaret Volks · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are interested in the dynamics of society & the Revolutionary War, this is a good read. It does drag on a bit but I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Nathan and Moses. :) M