Sgt. William Jasper, for whom Jasper County Texas and Jasper County Georgia was named, was the hero of the battle of Savannah Georgia during the Revolutionalry War.He was killed atop the breastworks while displaying the American Flag.

In 1864, to prevent the gunboat from falling into Federal hands, the CSS Altha Brooks was sunk in the Sabine River, six miles downstream from the docks at Orange Texas. Before the Altha Brooks was sunk, the steam engine was removed and hidden. After the war, the engine was used to power a sawmill in Orange Texas. It was used until about 1930 with hardly any major repairs and with only routine maintenance.

The CSS Altha Brooks was only equipped with one 24 pound cannon. Before the war it was mainly used for passengers and freight on the Trinity River and when hostilities began, for running supplies through the Federal blockade along the upper Texas coast.