Parson Rippetoe Beheads General Sherman

This entry is from the The Rebellion Record:  A Diary of American Events, Volume III, 1862 edited by Frank Moore.

A Terrible Parson In Battle.—We have about come to the conclusion that the war correspondents for the Southern papers can beat those of the North. A correspondent of the Memphis Appeal says:—

"Parson Rippetoe, a Methodist preacher, and captain of a Virginia company, performed prodigies of valor at the first taking of Sherman's battery, (for it was taken, then lost, then again taken.) He cut the throats of the horses, and then engaged Lieutenant Sherman in a hand-to-hand conflict with sabres. After a ten minutes' fight—both being accomplished swordsmen—he severed Sherman's head from his body at one blow."

We had a pleasant conversation with General Sherman in our office on Monday last, and he did not appear to be aware that he had been beheaded. At any rate he did not allude to the somewhat interesting event. Possibly, however, his memory may have been affected by the operation, for we cannot suppose the Southern parson would exaggerate.—Providence Journal. 

William Tecumseh Sherman as found at genrealsandbrevets.com