The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-06-23


good reason why we should not use the
customary pinch of salt. According 10
his truthful chronicle. he overcame in
tournament the three champions of the
I Turkish army, decapitating each one
with single blow of his heavy sword.
a writer who Is evidently Informed
on the subject claims that Mahmoud
Bey could not have accomplished the
/ feat of decapitation with an ordinary
sabre, and asserts that the Turks
yataghan was loaded" with q6icksil-
Yer. n yataghan, he explains, is
short sword, shaped something like a
/ butchers cleaver, with an apparently
/ hollow tube running along the back
/ from hilt to point. This tube carries
charge of quicksilver When the
sword is held upright this quicksilver
rests at the hilt. AS the blow is struck
the liquid metal is hurled down the
! Srooved channel, lending deadly add
ticnal weight to the blow. Such
weapon, it is claimed, was in Mahmoud
Bey's hands when he dashed ahead Of
/ his troops and decapitated the Greek
officer. who was firing at him.
The assertion made that this is the
sole instances of its kind in the history
of 100 years is not borne out by facts.
The same feat was performed during
the civil war, not with a "loaded' yata-
CHAN, but with an ordinary United
States army sabre. The man who
welded the sword in this episode. Colo
mel E. Bloss Parsons, died two weeks
ago in Rochester. n. Y. Colonel Par
sons was one of the wealthiest and best
known men in New York state, and
though he had never related the story,
the details were found among his pri-
vate papers after his death. The incl
dent was Illustrated and described in
Harper's Weekly at the time.
u-ac IN N
was noted as a horseman, was attached
to General Sheridan's staff. While re-
con1oitering one day with a squad OF
troopers under General Davis, they
were surprised by detachment of con-
federate cavalry. a pitched battle en-
sued and Parsons, who was in the rear,
saw a rebel officer level a revolver at
General Davis head. Jabbihg the spurs
into his horse, he swung his saber above
his head and. dashing by just as the
officer fired, he made a terrific full arm
sweep. The cc,lfederate's head leapsd
from the shoulders as swiftly as if II
had been severed by a guillotine. The
feat is more remarkable when it is con-
sidered that Parsons was a slim, beard
less fellow of p. In comparison. Nah
mould Bey's single slash with his yata-
CHAN lcses much CT its importance.
Colonel Parsons was brevetted general
for distinguished services during the
war; but characteristic mOdeSt= for
babe the use of that title when he re-
turned to civilian life Not only did he
perform the only authentic feat of de-
capitation during the civil war, but he
was the hero Of a remarkable ride. 4
few days before the battle of Gettys-
burg was fought General Meade had
an important message to send to Gen
eral Harding. 100 miles distant. AS the
route was through country swarming
with rebels, the message was written
on tissue paper, that it might be swal-
lowed in case the carrier was captured.
The ccGnmader was in doubt regarding
suitable messenger. He summoned
General Davis to headquarters.
General. who is the hardest rider. as
well as the most trustworthy man, in
the service?" asked Meade.
Colonel Parsons, sir" was the
rromDt reply.
send him to me at once"
1t was o'clock on a Monday night
when General Meade gave the young
officer his instructions. He was to ride
with all haste to General Harding's
headquarters and return at once with
an answer.
The messenger retired. Two hundred
miles to be covered. The roads were
heavy, and they led through the en-
emy's country.
EXACTLY at noon on the foHOWlnS DAY |
Colonel Parsons entered General |
Meade's tent. The latters face grew
purple with rage, and he ripped out 2
string of oaths.
rs this the way you obey orders?'
he Numbered. What are YOU hanging |
around camp for? You ought to be with |
General Harding by this time.
Il have just returned from General |
Harding. sir
You lie" exclaimed the exasperated i
general.
Parsons face paled and he dug the |
nails in his hands to restrain himself |
General Meade" he said in a voice /
that ill-concealed his anger, If you /
We're not My commanding officer, I /
would knock you down for that insult" |
Without the for1nality of a salute he /
turned on his heel and left the tent !
Meade afterward made an ample apol-
Dey.
Colonel Parsons killed two horses and
went himself without a particle of food.
For IS hours he was not cut of the sad
de.
--Do-