The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-02-22

lOlOWlDS IN TeSdtu 10 JdSptIS early ne,
being information on that subject furnished
by Lieut. w. H. Chapman, of the Palmetto
Guards. This gentleman says that Sergt.
Jasper was of Irish parentage, and lived
somewhere on Black Mingo or Black river,
and was one of the first recruits in the COM
pany of Capt. Francis Marion. At the time
of his heroic act at Fort Moultrie he was
about 20 years old. He married Miss
Wheatly, of Philadelphia, by whom he had
two children a son and daughter. The
son died early, leaving no child. His
daughter, Elizabeth Martin Jasper was
married three times, and had three children
in all, who died young. His widow mar
ried Mr. Christian Wagner, and the late
Samuel Jasper Wagner, of Charleston, was
the issue of that marriage.
1t is evident, therefore, that Sergt. JAS
per was of humble origin, narrow means
and limited education, and when it is ~
membered that he occupied the grade sim
ply OF a subaltern, it is not surprising that
the historian of his day made no special
mention of his family and antecedentS But
Jasper was one capable in himself of rising
above obstacles well nigh insurmountabe to
ordinary men, From his entrance into the
service of his country to his death his career
was brilliant and he won for himself I'M
perishable fame
JASPER AS A SOLDIER.
At the beginning of the war he enlisted in
the Second South Carolina Infantry, under
command of Col Moultrie, and on the
2Sth of June, l776, at the attack which was
then made on Fort Moultrie on Sulivan's
Island he performed his first recorded deed
of heroism-a deed which would of its self
have served TO render his name immortal
In the warmeat part of the contest the
staff from which the flag was waving above
the fort was struck by cannon bail and
li,,tn "A al Anar 60 l,At, =
the ditch outside the works. As soon as
Jasper perceived what had happened, he
cried out to Col Moultrie: Don't let us
fight without flag, Colonel" and leaping
from the parapet, amid storm of shot aud
she'll he caught up the colors, nailed them
to a sponge staff, and held them in position
until another staff could be provided. For
this gallant and meritorious act he was
offered commission, but his bravery was
only excelled by his modesty.
When the offer was made him by Gov
ernor Rutledge, accompanied by the Gov
ernor's own sword in Acknowledgment of his
gallantrv, he replied: 81 am greatly
obliged to you, Governor, but l had rather
not have a commission. AS | am, pass
very well with such company as a poor
sergeant has a right to keep. If | were to
get a commission / should be forced to keep
higher company. and then, as / don't know
how to read, should only be throwing my
self in the way to be laughed at
JAsPER's ILLITERACY
The statement that he could not read
seems not TO have been substantiated, for
Bowen, in his Life of Gen. Lincoln" in
forms us that he had seen a letter from
Jasper 'ill-written and worse spelt," dated
at Purysburg, July %, 1779, in which he in
forms Gen. Lincoln that in company with
three Georgia Continentals he had gone up
the river two days before, hoping to sur
prise picket guard. 1t turned out, how
ever, to be only a patroling party, from
which he had made four prisoners, and
brought off some negroes, all of whom he
sent TO Charleston.
To gallantry and modesty, Jasper added
another attribute of truly brave man, and
that was humanity. An enemy in his
power was always kindly treated, and it is
said OF him that it was his custom when he
had power to kill but not to capture, to per-
NIT a single enemy to escape and it was
this trait of his character which induced his
memorable and daring exploit at the spring
near this city which, In his honor, has been
called by his name "Jasper Spring"
In one of his excursions in the
British lines for the purpose of obtaining
information as to the position and designs
of the enemy, and while he was examining
the British camp at Ebenezer, he met with
y
cause her husband, an American by birth,
had taken the oath of allegiance to the king,
but who afterwards, having deserted the
royal cause. was captured. She was well
aware that her husbands life was forfeited
and her grief at the idea was overwhelm-
ing.
THE RESCUE AT THE SPRING.
Every sympathy of Jasper's heart was
excited by her affection, and he determined,
if possible, to rescue from his captors the
unfortunate man. He consulted with his
companion, Sergt. Newton, and together
they determined to make the effort They
learned that Jones and several others had
been ordered to be brought in irons to
Savannah for trial, under guard consist
ing of a Sergeant, Corporal and eight men.
Jasper and Newton knew that the guard
would probably halt at the spring mention
ed for refreshments, so they determined to
conceal themselves in the thick underbrush
for the purpose of carrying out their enter
prise. Here, hidden from view, they waited
the approach Of the enemy, and in due time
the latter came up and halted. Only two
Of the guard remained with the prisoners,
while the others, nnsuspicious OF danger,
carelessly left their guns against the tre es,
and proceeded to the spring to drink I'm
mediately Jasper and Newton sprang from
their place of concealment, and seiz-
ing TWO OF Une guns SnOC the
sentinels and forced the rest of the
guard to surrender The irons were taken
off the rescued prisoners, and the whole
party, including, as one tradition informs
us, the wives and children of some of the
prisoners, who had followed the guard
| joined the American camp the next morn
ing at Purysburg.
1t is well said, regarding this daring ex-
plot, in ''McCalls History of Georgia."
There are but few instances upon record
where personal exertions ever for self
preservation from certain prospects of
death, would have induced resort to an act
SO desperate of execution; how much more
laudable was this when the spring to action
was reused by the lamentations of female
unknown to the adventures"
swoRE TO PROTECT THE FLAG.
And now we come to the final and most
glorious scene of the immortal Jasper's
career, when he yielded up his LIES blood
in defense of his colors, and sacrifice upon
the altar of his country's independence
Shortly after the battle Of Fort Moultrie,
where he first so signally distinguished him
self, as we have already stated, the regiment
to which Sergeant Jasper was attached.
the Second South Carolina, was pre-
scented by Mrs. Barnard Elliott,
of South Carolina, with stand of colors,
which she herself had worked. Her address
on the occasion of the presentation CON
cluded thus: II make not the least doubt,
under heavens name, you will stand by
t..fsf goIpFs an lone AZ tuaU va in f,a a Il.