The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-03-03
JASPER's COMRADE.
His Granddaughter Living in Atlanta
Interviewed.

OA0G SOmIsa0Gs
His Granddaughter Living in Atlanta
Interviewed.
From the Atlanta (Gu) Journal
About the time the war cloud between the
mother country and the colonies was as
Stunning proportions there were two young
men attending school in London. They
were SONS of Henry, Earl of Aberdeen,
whose castle stood near Glasgow, Scotland,
and their warlike spirit was deeply stirred
at the struggles and prosecutions of the
colonies. Henry Gray, the eldest of the
two boys, was but IS, while his brother,
James, was two years younger.
AS soon as the opening guns OF the war
were fired the two young men were seized
with an uncomfortable desire to lend their
aid to the weaker side in the struggle, and
leaving their school duties behind them,
embarked for America.
For a time Henry and James were
swallowed up in the stirring scenes being
enacted about them, and are seen no more
until that eventful day in the history of the
revolution, when the storming of Fort
Moultrie occurred.
1t was in the month of July, 1776, and
amid the heat and dust of the battle, three
figures were conspicuous for their reckless
disregard in their desire to keep the folds
Of the flag fiutterlng upon the ramparts.
One of these young men was Lieut.. Henry
Gray, the eldest of the two brothers,
another was James Gray, his brother, who
was an ensign in the army, and the third
was young soldier who was known as
Jasper.
A shot from the enemy's boats tore away
The flag, which was Immediately replaced
by Ensign GRAY. Hardly had its folds flut-
tered once again in the breeze when a sec
ond shot from the same gun pierced the
brave young ensign and he fell severely
wounded.
Jasper sprang forward, and catching the
flag from the hands of his bleeding com
rade, once more replaced it on the ram
parts.
Hardly had the dangerous feat been &C
complished when he, too, fell wounded be
side the daring young ensign.
Lieut.. Gray caught the falling colors
when he, too, was wounded, it was though
MORALLY.
After the battle the young ensign, Jane
Gray, and the private, Jasper, soon recOv
cred and entered once again into service
| Not so with Henry. He lay confined to HI
bed two years from the effects of the wount
received at Fort Moultrie.
Ensign Gray and Jasper became firm
| friends as indeed they had been before, bu
nothing more is seen of them until October
| 1779, during the memorable fight abou
| Savannah.
The young ensign had been promoted t.
| the rank of lieutenant, while the privat
| Jasper was a sergeant, The color-bearer o
the South Carolina troops was shot down a
the same time that the Georgia ensign me
| his death.
Lieut.. Gray and Corp1 Jasper, who wer
fighting side by side, raised the fallen color
| and bore them bravely to the front, TIL
| lieutenant was mortally wounded and fel
in the trenches with his flag beneath him
| dyed in his life's blood.
| The story of Jaspers fall is to well know
to need repetition.
Lieut.. Henry Gray, who was wounded a
| Fort Moultrie, eventually recovered, bu
never entered the service again on account
of his wound. which had eft him a cripple
He married in Charleston before the clos
of the war a lady decended from the Hugue
nots.
He entered the profession of the law anC
became a politician of notoriety in Charles
ton, universally esteemed for his manI
noble traits of character.
He was the father of twelve children, anC
died in 1926.
One of his daughters, Mrs. Wilson, after
1880, at the age of 70 years.
Yesterday afternoon reporter enjoyed {
very pleasant conversation of an hour Will
a daughter of Mrs. Wilson and a grand
daughter of Lieut.. Henry Gray, one o.
Jasper's friends and comrades. The lady L
living on Powers street, and is Mrs. Steele
wife of Mr.. William Steele, bookkeeper fol
George w. Scott & Co.
She related many pleasing incidents il
the life of her grandfather and his brother
who fell alongside the daring Jasper.
Among other relics, Mrs. Steele has bat
tered picture of her grandfather, which wa
at one time inclosed i'll golden frame tha
was removed by the Union soldiers during
the last war, and the picture thrown int
the yard. On the back of this picture il
written, "Lieut. Henry Gray, of S. c. Con
tinental Line army of the revolution
pal ted by a British officer from life il
! 1776" Underneath this appears from hi
son the following: THE above named
officer was attached to the feet commanded
| by Admiral Sir Peter Parker, at Fort Sulli
van, since called Fort Moultrie."
The picture, although more than hun
dred years old, is still we'll preserved, not
withstauding the fact that it has gone
! through two wars.
The reporter also saw a portrait Of Mrs
| Steeles great-grandmother, and a scraI
book made up in 1926.
Coming down to a more recent date, ht
enioyed the pleasure of meeting q lusty
Young baby, the son of Mrs. Steele's sor
who is living in Atlanta. The baby, like
his grandmother, hears striking family
resemblance to Lieut.. Henry Gray.