William Jasper Monument
William Jasper Monument (2018)
32°04′25″N 81°05′38″W / 32.07355°N 81.09397°W / 32.07355; -81.09397
LocationMadison Square, Savannah, Georgia, United States
DesignerAlexander Doyle
MaterialBronze
Granite (pedestal)
Height15.5 feet (4.7 m)
Dedicated dateFebruary 2, 1888
Dedicated toWilliam Jasper

The William Jasper Monument is a monument honoring William Jasper in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Located in Madison Square, the monument was designed by Alexander Doyle and dedicated in 1888.

History

William Jasper was a sergeant in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. During the Battle of Sullivan's Island in 1776, he earned fame by climbing a parapet under enemy fire to reattach his company's flag after the flagpole was destroyed. For his action, he was commended by John Rutledge, the then-President of South Carolina.[1] He was later killed in action during the siege of Savannah on October 9, 1779.[1][2]

On February 2, 1888, a monument honoring Jasper was dedicated in Madison Square in Savannah, Georgia.[3][4] The monument, located near the De Soto Hotel in Savannah, was designed by Alexander Doyle and depicts Jasper during the siege of Savannah.[2] Several prominent Savannah citizens, including Ireland native William Kehoe,[5] had been members of the association responsible for the monument's creation.[2] The mayor and aldermen were present at the monument's dedication, where then-Georgia Governor John Brown Gordon gave a speech.[3][6] Then-President of the United States Grover Cleveland and First Lady of the United States Frances Cleveland were guests of honor,[3] with the President stopping on his way to Jacksonville, Florida and honoring the occasion with a drive through the city.[2]

In 1957, a Georgia historical marker was erected near the monument.[7]

Design

Bas-relief on the monument

The bronze statue of Jasper, topping a granite pedestal, shows him in a heroic pose, holding the Moultrie Flag above his head in his left hand and a sword in his right.[2][3] Near his feet is his bullet-ridden hat. Three bas-reliefs on the base of the monument depict scenes from Jasper's life. The height of the monument is 15.5 feet (4.7 m).[7] An inscription on the front base of the monument reads:[2][3]

To the memory of Sergeant William Jasper, who, though mortally wounded, rescued the colors of his regiment, in the assault on the British lines about the city, October 9, 1779. A century has not dimmed the glory of the Irish-American soldier whose last tribute to civil liberty was his life. 1779–1879. Erected by the Jasper Monument Association.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Martin & Harris 2017, p. 81.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Knight 1917, p. 323.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 The American Stone Trade 1916, p. 30.
  4. Knight 1917, p. 321.
  5. "Man of Iron: William Kehoe". Freeman's Rag. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  6. Carrington 1892, pp. 170–172.
  7. 1 2 Georgia Historical Society 2014.

Bibliography

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