William Jasper Monument

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.

This article is about the monument in Savannah, Georgia. For the monument depicting William Jasper in Charleston, South Carolina, see The Defenders of Fort Moultrie.

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

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. Martin & Harris 2017, p. 81.
  2. Knight 1917, p. 323.
  3. 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. Georgia Historical Society 2014.

Bibliography
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