The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-05-17
HEROES OF TWO FLAGS
Deeds Of Sergeant Jasper and Christie
pher Bland COntrasted.

49,
On June 18th, 176, Sergeant Jasper
climbed through an embrasure of the
palmetto log Fort Moultrie, South Car
DINA, picked up the American flag
which had been shot away by the
British ships-of-war bombarding the
fort, and replaced it on the ramparts
amidst the flying cannO balls OF the
enemy. 1t was a brave deed, and the
country has made Sergeant Jasper one
of it's historic heroes. There is hard
ly a school child in the United States
who is not familiar with this incident
which has kept his memory bright
throughout the length and breadth OF
our land; and the city of Savannah,
which was the home of the hero, points
with pride to the handsome monument
which it has erected to commemorate
in the decades to come the dauntless
act of him wha would not sec hic
country's flag lie PROSTATE before the
enemy.
On December 23rd, 1864, more than
fifty United States men-Of-war DIP
peared before Fort Fisher, North Car
DINA, and began the greatest bonn
bardment which the world had ever
seen, and which has no parallel in
history, except the second lombard
ment in January, 1865, which resulted
in the capture of the fort. At the be-
ginning of the engagement, the shells
from the feet were directed toward
the Confederate flag; and it was not
long before it fell, the staff being shat
tered. There was a high mound near
of the warships and orders were given
to hoist the flag upon it. This was
attempted amid a fiery shower of shot
and shell. But the halyards became
disarranged, and the colors would not
go up.
"Ill fix them" said Private Chris
TOPPER &C.. Bland, of the 36th North
Carolina Regiment.
You'll be killed." exclaimed one
of the officers in charge of the mound.
"But u flag must fly" answered
the soldier.
He climbed the staff and adjusted
the cords, and the flag was raised to
the top of the masthead, while the
men below looked on in wonder at
the display Of dauntless courage.
In a little while, the lower end of
the flag was loosed by a shot from the
ships; and the same private without
a moments hesitation, repeated the
daring act amid the screaming shells
from the enemy and the lusty cheers
of the men behind the ramparts.
The flag was torn to shreds, but it
remained upon the staff during the re-
mainder of the engagement.
Unknown to fame. BANDS measure
of glory is but small; but the veterans
of the North and the South, who re-
Gently met in comradechip on the site
of the old fort, to celebrate the great
martial campaign in which they took
part, recalled his heroism as that Of
one whose merits praise along with
the choicest spirits Of American his
tory.
How many persons in North Caro-
lima know whether Christopher G.
Bland is dead or alive? How many
have made the smallest effort to per-
petuate his memory a. n Of the
greatest heroes in history who SUI
their acts of daring? How many
even now, will seriously stop and con-
slider his great claim to fame? We call
upon the Daughters of the COnfcdor-
particularly, to think what their
duty may be toward this nan who
was a brilliant type of the Coined
soldier.
Who was the greatest hero-Ser-
geant Jasper, who withstood the fire
of a few British warships which sent
their feeble shot into the palmetto-iog
Fort, Moultrie, or Christopher Blard,
who dared the bo~mbardment of ten
times as many guns, each of ten times
the force of the British cannon, fired,
ten times as rapidly?
The plea is not to detract from the
glory of Jasper, but rather to give due
honor to a hero whose fame has not
aid hold on the living sentiments of
he people.