I Wish I'd Said That . . .

There are certain legends that seem to evolve out of no logical sequence of events at all. Merely a little something someone said can catch our imagination, be repeated, perhaps somewhat embellished, and eventually take its place among our well-known New England legends. The original statement is always of the "I wish I'd said that" variety, although we are inclined to do a little editing over the years to make it more appropriate for historical consumption. For instance, Ethan Allen allegedly demanded from the British commander the surrender of Fort Ticonderoga, "in the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress." However, Israel Harris, the grandfather of the late Professor James D. Butler of Madison, Wisconsin, was present and often told his grandson (as reported by historian and folklorist B. A. Botkin) that Ethan Allen's real words were: "Come out of there, you goddam old rat."

On the other hand, Captain Nathan Hale may have been a poor spy, but he is more than redeemed in history and legend by his heroic final words, words that, as far as historians can determine, he really did say: "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." No amount of editing could improve that.

Source: Judson Hale, Inside New England, New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1982.