"J" is for Jasper, William [d. 1779]

"J" is for Jasper, William [d. 1779] Soldier. On July 7, 1775, William Jasper enlisted in the elite grenadier company of the Second South Carolina Continental Regiment. During the battle of Sullivans Island on June 28, 1776, he was a sergeant and won lasting fame. When an enemy shot brought down the fort's flag, he restored the banner under heavy enemy fire. In 1779 he led dangerous guerrilla raids against British pickets and patrols. During the Franco-American attack on the British lines around Savannah in October 1779, Jasper received a mortal wound. He became a national hero as a character in Mason Weems' The Life of General Francis Marion. Eight counties [including Jasper County, South Carolina], numerous towns, and thousands of Americans were named for the man described as the brave Sergeant William Jasper.