"The Man Without a Country" is a short story of American Army lieutenant Philip Nolan, who renounces his country during a trial for treason, and is consequently sentenced to spend the rest of his days at sea. The protagonist, Philip Nolan, develops a friendship with the visiting Aaron Burr. When Burr is tried for treason (that historically occurred in 1807), Nolan is tried as an accomplice.

Hale published "The Man Without a Country" in the Atlantic Monthly in 1863 to bolster support for the Union in the North. In this first publication, Hale's name does not appear at the beginning or end of the story, though it appears in the annual index at the end of that issue of the magazine. It was later collected in 1868 in the book The Man Without a Country, and Other Tales, published by Ticknor and Fields.

By frequently mentioning specific dates and places and by using numerous contemporary references, Hale grounded his story in a firm foundation of history and made the story seem like a record of actual events. In his 1893 and 1900 reminiscences, Hale stated, that to write the story of 'The Man Without a Country', "I had to make as careful a study as I could of the history of the acquisition of Louisiana by the United States."