A Different Viewpoint of Lew Powell's Character

[BettyO]

(07-23-2012 11:56 PM)LincolnMan Wrote:  I can't but help remembering-wasn't it Powell that used the skull of a Union soldier for an ash tray? What are we to conclude about this mysterious man? On one hand, he tries to kill Seward but on the other hand-didn't he verbalize to authorities that Mary Surratt was innocent? How polite and gentle he could be. Was he really a sociopath-charming but potentially deadly?

That old story about Powell using the skull of a Union soldier for an ash tray was made up for affect by Doster in his argument. Powell didn't smoke for one thing; chewed, yes, but smoked no! Jim Bishop picked up on Doster's quote in his novel, The Day Lincoln was Shot, followed by Van Doren Stern in his novel, The Man Who Killed Lincoln. Just WHY historians/scholars down through the ages continue to quote fiction is beyond me. It's one of my pet peeves. Still these old canards remain, unfortunately.

Young Powell was apparently working for the Confederate Secret Service - or so he told Dr. Abram Dunn Gillette the night before he died. He had been recruited from the 43rd Battalion, Mosby's Rangers; handpicked BY Mosby to participate in an "expedition into Maryland" to kidnap the President. Mosby more than likely received his orders from Judah P. Benjamin. Five other men were recruited along with Powell but at the last moment, they backed out of the project. Powell carried through. This circa Hall, Tidwell, Gaddy in Come Retribution. I have researched this for years along with these three gentleman and much of what they claim has a definite ring of truth in it regarding the Confederate Secret Service. General Bradley C. Johnson and General William H. Payne in correspondence after the war reiterated this. Powell boarded with Payne's family while serving with Mosby and used their name as his "alias."

Young Powell thought that he was following orders the night of the assassination. Orders from Richmond, or whoever, he never specified. He simply told Gillette that he was a soldier and "following his orders." Powell, once he got inside Seward's house, panicked. He had never fought in "close quarters" before and apparently never hand to hand. He was used to fighting in the open where he could apply the Mosby tactic of "skedaddling" if he got into trouble. Powell never considered that he'd be confronting screaming women and men coming at him from all directions within the house. Powell never touched the women - this from himself as well as from Fanny Seward and the other women present in the Seward House.

Powell furthermore told Gillette that as soon as he leaped into the saddle of his horse, he was horrified at what he had done; i.e. that he saw his crime as a crime ONLY and that he was utterly remorseful and miserable. He was contrite and wept constantly in his cell over what he had done and expressed regret to both Mr. Seward and Fred Seward. He was horrified at what his parents would think and hoped that they would think he had fallen on the battlefield. In one instance he begged a detective, "Please don't tell my mama what I've done! It'll kill her!"

Powell's guards claimed that the young man was truthful, and although oblivious to harshness and cruelty, was touched by kindness when extended towards him. They further reiterated that he was soft spoken, gentle and kind; appreciative of any thing done for him. These same adjectives were used to describe Powell BEFORE the assault. He was highly esteemed by all who knew him before. His hangman, Captain (later Colonel) Christian Rath was deeply impressed by the young man, claiming that he was a true, brave soldier. He and Powell became good friends while Powell was incarcerated and when the prisoners were given exercise in the court yard of the Prison, he and Powell played games of Quoits (a ring toss game similar to horse shoes).

Regarding Mrs. Surratt, Powell was utterly miserable. He considered the fact that his return to her house on the night of April 17 condemned her. Partially true. The kid told Dr. Gillette on the night before his death, "Doctor, she is a woman - and men do NOT declare war on women! Mrs. Surratt is innocent and had nothing to do with this!"

In over 40 years of research on young Powell, I can find nothing to indicate a psychopath in any way. He was simply a very young man who got mixed up in things that were way over his head. He still, even after the surrender, considered himself a Confederate soldier "doing his duty." Older, more powerful men used this boy to further their ends in a misguided attempt to save the Confederacy. As he perceived himself a soldier, Powell obeyed.