Evening star., 1935-11-03

away.
THE colorful story Of Sergt. Jasper
has been told many times, but not
once too often. The British feet ar
rived of Charleston bar on June 4,
1776, and on the same day, accord
ing to Losing, Gen. Charles Lee ar
rived from the North to take the chief
command of the Southern Army OF
patriots. -" Three weeks wore away,
and then the royal fleet crossed the
bar, anchored in the channel, and
opened terrible fire upon the palm
etto fort The roar of 300 cannons
shook the city, and terrible was the
iron hail that fell upon that little
fortifcation. The soft palmetto logs
received the balls without injury, while
the incessant fire from Moultrie's
heavy guns greatly damaged the
ships. At length the crescent flag OF
the Second Regiment, that had float.
ed untouched above one of the bas-
tions of the fort, fell upon the sand
outside the walls. Its staff had been
cut by a ball A shout of triumph
went up from the admiral's flagship
when the ensign disappeared, for 1t
was thought to be signal of submis-
sion. The next moment young
soldier, one of Marion's recruits from
the Pedee, leaped from the parapet,
walked deliberately upon the beach
the whole length of the fort. picked
up the flag, mounted the bastion. af.
fixed the banner to sponge staff, and
driving that in a secure place. left
the blue standard floating defiantly
over the place from which it had just
fallen.
There, again, the brave Jasper re-
appeared The bearer of one OF the
flags was killed, and Il fell to the
ground. Jasper was fighting gallantly
nearby and, springing forward. he fas-
tened the flag to the parapet, waved
his cap in triumph, ana then fell,
pierced by rifle ball. His last words.
an hour afterward, were: Tell Mrs.
Elliott I lost my life supporting the
colors she presented to our regiment.
The story of Rebecca Motto. one
of South Carolina's famous patriotic
women, is no doubt familiar to many.
The British had seized the fine
mansion of Mrs. Motto, the widow OF
wealthy planter. The enemy had
driven her from her home to her
farm house upon a hill and fortified
the mansion, and everything went well
until Gems. Sumpter and Lee pro-
ceeded to invest this British strong
hold. Marion, who was also there,
and Lee took position near the farm
house.
The taking of this temporary fort
becoming urgent, Lee. according to a
historic account. suggested to Mrs.
Motto the necessity of burning her
mansion in order to dislodge the Brit.
ish, and she not only cheerfully con.
sented, but when, after several at
tempts to hurl ignited combustibles
upon the roof had failed, this patri-
otic woman furnished some superior
bows and arrows by which fire was
thrown upon the shingled roof. which
was soon in flames. and the enemy,
in order to save their lives, gladly
surrendered.
Mrs, Steele's devotion to the cause
of independence was particularly man
ifested when Gen. Greene of the Rev
olutionary Army alighted at her door
in Salisbury, N. c., announcing him
self as "fatigued, cold. hungry and
penniless." Food was quickly pro-
vided and when the warm supper
had been disposed of before cheer
full fire, this loyal woman Of the South
land brought forth two small bags OF
specie, her earnings for years. Take
these" we are told she said; you
will want them and can do without
them" And the hero resumed his
dangerous journey that night with a
lightened heart
ID ETURNING to our earthquake
~ story. Washington had an earlier
shock on August II, 1884, when the
area of disturbance extended from
Portland, Me-, on the north to the
District of Columbia on the south.
In New York. the Brooklyn Bridge
rocked as If struck with a cyclone,
and nearby Rockville, Mechanicstown,
Westminster and other towns report
having felt the force Of the shock.
Admiral William T. Sampson, whose
controversy with Admiral Schley.
toward the close Of the Spanish
American War, is still fresh in the
minds of many. felt the vibration in
the house in which he was living, I'D.
Joining the Naval Observatory.
Building Inspector Entwisle. who Is
also recalled by the old-timers, heard
the rumbling Of the earthquake dis
tinctly at the residence of his brother
in-law, william T. Dove. in the SUBJ
urbs of the city. He said there were
two shocks.
H. H. Clark of the sixth auditors
Office also reported as having felt the
tremor, while DR.. william Tindall.
then secretary to the Commissioners,
said he heard two loud, rumbling
sounds when sitting in front Of his
home, where later was built the hand
some residence of 8. w. woodward.
at Connecticut avenue and California