Lew Powell's Frostbitten Feet

[BettyO]

(08-24-2012 12:13 PM)Natty Wrote:  

(08-24-2012 11:30 AM)BettyO Wrote:  I wondered about that myself, Natty! Powell had the reputation of being the "Terrible Lewis Powell". I don't know what they meant here other than this - from what I heard.

Lewis had, along with Syd Ferguson and Cab Maddox single handedly in close hand to hand combat, captured Captain Richard Blazer and took him to Richmond to Libby Prison. Powell, at the Conspiracy Trial was remembered being seen by another officer at Libby when he was there. This was also about the same time that he was more or less meeting with officials in Richmond regarding his induction into the kidnap plot. It was stated that after the Blazer affair, that Powell did not go on many raids (probably because he was being coached by the Confederate SS) - at any rate, this could be why he didn't go on a raid; but apparently he did go on this a couple of raids and participated boldly! It was said that he was very quiet and thoughtful when he returned from Richmond. Mike Kauffman claims in American Brutus] that he thought Lew Powell was possibly "love sick" over the Branson girls -- this could be quite true as well, because he sure turned up on their doorstep right after he left Mosby!

Ah, yes - that would make sense. If he was receiving special training from the SS, his comrades would have gotten used to the idea that he was not going to be fighting.
The only thing that irritates me is the timeline. Blazer was captured in November of 1864, whereas the Dranesville incident occurred in February earlier that year. How could Lewis have been training for the CSS at that time already? Was he? He had just joined the Rangers the fall of the previous year, if I recall correctly - was he already chosen for the CSS in February of 1864?

Oh! Lewis as lovesick! That is a particularly endearing prospect - is it possible that he might have been a bit "lovesick" when he first joined the Rangers, perhaps seeming a bit distant and initially lacking enthusiasm?

Lewis joined the Rangers in October of 1863 and remained with them until January 1, 1865. Yes, Blazer was captured in November 1864; the incident with the two Union soldiers whom he captured was in December 1864. I don't think Lewis was recruited for the SS until the fall of 1864 - or so it was said. I don't know why he would not be fighting at Dranesville or reluctant to fight there - however he did have frequent bouts of sickness (still undetermined - although the anthropologist who discovered Lew's noggin' stated that the boy suffered apparently from chronic bouts of sinusitis.) So he may have been ill. He was ill in the hospital in Richmond VA from June 30, 1862 during the Gaines Mill campaign (about 3 miles from my house) until mid November of 1862 - a long period for him to be in the hospital. We know he had a bout of measles when he first enlisted in Jacksonville, FL that turned into pneumonia and he almost died. Whether or not this weakened his constitution, I don't know....