William Jasper
Encyclopedia
William Jasper was a noted American soldier in the Revolutionary War
. He was a sergeant in the 2nd South Carolina Regiment
.
Jasper distinguished himself in the defense of Fort Moultrie on June 28, 1776. When a shell from a British warship shot away the flagstaff, he recovered the South Carolina flag in the Battle of Sullivan's Island, raised it on a temporary staff, and held it under fire until a new staff was installed . Governor Rutledge
gave a golden sword to Jasper in recognition of his bravery. The golden sword is now in the possession of his great great great grandson Jeremy Jasper.
In 1779, Sergeant Jasper participated in the Siege of Savannah
, led by General Lincoln
, which failed to recapture Savannah, Georgia
, from the British. He was mortally wounded during an assault on the British forces there.
Sgt. Jasper's story is similar to that of Sgt. John Newton
. Several states have adjacent counties named Jasper and Newton, as these were remembered as a pair, due to the popularity of Parson Weems
' fictionalizing early American history.
He arrived in Philadelphia in the fall and was fed some warm soup and then put in a line to take an oath of allegiance and sign his name. When it was his turn though, Jasper didn't know how to read or write so he couldn't even write his name on the list. He had to just put an X down where he should have put his name and next to it the colonist who had signed him in wrote John William Jasper. He then completed a few years of indentured service and moved South to find some land of his own.
All day the British and Patriots exchanged fire with each other. The only problem was that the Patriots were running low on ammunition. They only fired when a British ship got really close to the fort. Then one of the British ships shot down the patriots flag. The flag fell and so did the Patriots' spirits. Sensing this, Jasper ran to the top of the fort where he hoisted the flag into a makeshift staff until a permanent flag staff was created. This inspired the Patriots to fight as hard as they could. The Patriots won the fight.
Jasper was presented with a golden sword by Governor John Rutledge and was offered a soldier's commission. He didn't accept the offer to become an officer for he felt that he would only be an embarrassment since he couldn't read, nor write. He was also presented with two silk flags by Mrs. Susannah Elliott.
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. He was a sergeant in the 2nd South Carolina Regiment
2nd South Carolina Regiment
The 2nd South Carolina Regiment was raised on June 6, 1775, at Charleston, South Carolina, for service with the Continental Army. The regiment saw action at the Siege of Savannah and the Siege of Charleston. The regiment was captured by the British Army at Charleston on May 12, 1780, together with...
.
Jasper distinguished himself in the defense of Fort Moultrie on June 28, 1776. When a shell from a British warship shot away the flagstaff, he recovered the South Carolina flag in the Battle of Sullivan's Island, raised it on a temporary staff, and held it under fire until a new staff was installed . Governor Rutledge
John Rutledge
John Rutledge was an American statesman and judge. He was the first Governor of South Carolina following the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the 31st overall...
gave a golden sword to Jasper in recognition of his bravery. The golden sword is now in the possession of his great great great grandson Jeremy Jasper.
In 1779, Sergeant Jasper participated in the Siege of Savannah
Siege of Savannah
The Siege of Savannah or the Second Battle of Savannah was an encounter of the American Revolutionary War in 1779. The year before, the city of Savannah, Georgia, had been captured by a British expeditionary corps under Lieutenant-Colonel Archibald Campbell. The siege itself consisted of a joint...
, led by General Lincoln
Benjamin Lincoln
Benjamin Lincoln was an American army officer. He served as a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War...
, which failed to recapture Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, from the British. He was mortally wounded during an assault on the British forces there.
Sgt. Jasper's story is similar to that of Sgt. John Newton
John Newton (soldier)
Sgt. John Newton was a soldier of the American Revolutionary War who was popularized by Parson Weems in his school books in the early 19th century. Newton served under Brigadier General Francis Marion, the famous "Swamp Fox". Today Newton appears to have been a very minor figure. However, place...
. Several states have adjacent counties named Jasper and Newton, as these were remembered as a pair, due to the popularity of Parson Weems
Parson Weems
Mason Locke Weems , generally known as Parson Weems, was an American book agent and author. He is best known as the source of some of the apocryphal stories about George Washington...
' fictionalizing early American history.
Coming to America
William Jasper (named Johann Wilhelm Gasper at the time) came to America in 1767 on the ship Minerva. He and other immigrants hailed from Germany and landed in Philadelphia. He was sixteen at the time but he had decided that whatever the new land held, that he would accept it with open arms.He arrived in Philadelphia in the fall and was fed some warm soup and then put in a line to take an oath of allegiance and sign his name. When it was his turn though, Jasper didn't know how to read or write so he couldn't even write his name on the list. He had to just put an X down where he should have put his name and next to it the colonist who had signed him in wrote John William Jasper. He then completed a few years of indentured service and moved South to find some land of his own.
Becoming A Soldier
Sergeant Jasper settled down in the South but he had left his sweetheart in Pennsylvania. He had to think of a way to pay for her journey to come live with him and become his wife and by this time the colonists had already rebelled. He became a soldier. The pay wasn't great but he worked hard and soon became a Sergeant. Eventually he earned enough and his sweetheart, Elizabeth, was able to join him in Georgia and they were married.Fort Moultrie
Jasper was soon called to Sullivan's Island to help protect Charles Towne Harbor. There he served under Colonel William Moultrie. A few days before the British were due to arrive, Colonel Moultrie decided to build a fort to protect the harbor. He had his officers go to local plantation owners and ask them to borrow their slaves to help with the creation of the fort. Soldiers, slaves and volunteers banded together to chop down palmettos and use them to build a fort. But the British arrived before the fort was finished. The whole back side of it was yet to be completed. But the British were there and so they had one of their men run up to the top and they raised up their flag and began to defend the harbor.All day the British and Patriots exchanged fire with each other. The only problem was that the Patriots were running low on ammunition. They only fired when a British ship got really close to the fort. Then one of the British ships shot down the patriots flag. The flag fell and so did the Patriots' spirits. Sensing this, Jasper ran to the top of the fort where he hoisted the flag into a makeshift staff until a permanent flag staff was created. This inspired the Patriots to fight as hard as they could. The Patriots won the fight.
Jasper was presented with a golden sword by Governor John Rutledge and was offered a soldier's commission. He didn't accept the offer to become an officer for he felt that he would only be an embarrassment since he couldn't read, nor write. He was also presented with two silk flags by Mrs. Susannah Elliott.
Places named after Jasper
- Jasper County, GeorgiaJasper County, GeorgiaJasper County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 11,426. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 13,660...
- Jasper County, IllinoisJasper County, Illinoishjsdgcbi76dft...
- Jasper County, IndianaJasper County, IndianaAs of the census of 2000, there were 30,043 people, 10,686 households, and 8,217 families residing in the county. The population density was 54 people per square mile . There were 11,236 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...
- Jasper County, IowaJasper County, Iowa-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 36,842 in the county, with a population density of . There were 16,181 housing units, of which 14,806 were occupied.-2000 census:...
- Jasper County, MississippiJasper County, Mississippi-History:Jasper County was formed in 1833 from the middle section of what been Jones County. It was named for Sgt. William Jasper who first distinguished himself in the defense of Fort Moultrie in 1776. When a shell from a British warship shot away the flagstaff, he recovered the flag, raised it on...
- Jasper County, MissouriJasper County, MissouriJasper County is a county located in the US state of Missouri. It is included in the Joplin, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area. The 2010 total population of Jasper County was 117,404. It is the ninth most populous county in Missouri. Its county seat is Carthage, making it one of the few...
- Jasper County, South Carolina
- Jasper County, Texas and the city of Jasper, TexasJasper, TexasJasper is the county seat of Jasper County, Texas, in the United States. The population was 8,247 at the 2000 census. Jasper is situated in the Deep East Texas subregion, about northeast of Houston. The city is best known for the 1998 murder of James Byrd, Jr., an event which gained national...
- City of Jasper, AlabamaJasper, AlabamaJasper is a city in Walker County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 14,659. As of 2011 the population had was 13,857. The city is the county seat of Walker County, and once ranked among the world's leading producers of coal....
- City of Jasper, ArkansasJasper, ArkansasJasper is a city in Newton County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 498 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Newton County.Jasper is part of the Harrison Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
- City of Jasper, FloridaJasper, FloridaJasper is a city in Hamilton County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,780 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 1,848 . It is the county seat of Hamilton County. The United Methodist Church in Jasper, Florida is on the National Register...
- City of Jasper, GeorgiaJasper, GeorgiaJasper is a city in Pickens County, Georgia, United States. The population was 3,684 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Pickens County...
- City of Jasper, MinnesotaJasper, MinnesotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 597 people, 286 households, and 173 families residing in the city. The population density was 678.2 people per square mile . There were 308 housing units at an average density of 349.9 per square mile...
- Town of Jasper, TennesseeJasper, TennesseeJasper is a town in Marion County, Tennessee. The population was 3,214 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marion County.Jasper is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...