Lew Powell's Frostbitten Feet

[BettyO]

Powell mentioned the fainting and falling to stress, according to Gillette why he joined the cavalry; in other words he stated that the "long marches were hard for him" - much as Wild Bill stated. He was also, I think talking about all aspects of his life to Gillette. This kid had a crying need (literally) to talk to someone; guess it kept his mind off of the coming inevitable and made facing death easier. He was extremely vulnerable in the death cell - according to Gillette and the guards as well who reiterated it to the journalists - he wept constantly - alternately crying and praying while talking to Gillette and later Stryker for about an hour before he walked to the gallows.

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(08-24-2012 05:27 PM)MaddieM Wrote:  

(08-24-2012 05:21 PM)Natty Wrote:  That sounds reasonable. Perhaps he was just trying to demonstrate that he was no different from other soldiers and was not the cold, hard individual many had him out to be. If that is the case, then this reference wasn't necessarily an indication of bad health, just the effects of malnutrition and enormous amounts of physical strain.

Who knows what you'd talk about in that extremity. Everything and nothing, the deep and the mundane? Didn't he leave his Bible with Dr Gillette? I wonder what became of that? Shame so many of these personal belongings didn't survive. For all we know, they could be locked up in someone's dusty old attic.

Supposedly that bible was left with Gillette to send to his parents. It never reached them through the war torn South....

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(08-24-2012 05:44 PM)MaddieM Wrote:  

(08-24-2012 05:32 PM)Natty Wrote:  

(08-24-2012 05:27 PM)MaddieM Wrote:  

(08-24-2012 05:21 PM)Natty Wrote:  That sounds reasonable. Perhaps he was just trying to demonstrate that he was no different from other soldiers and was not the cold, hard individual many had him out to be. If that is the case, then this reference wasn't necessarily an indication of bad health, just the effects of malnutrition and enormous amounts of physical strain.

Who knows what you'd talk about in that extremity. Everything and nothing, the deep and the mundane? Didn't he leave his Bible with Dr Gillette? I wonder what became of that? Shame so many of these personal belongings didn't survive. For all we know, they could be locked up in someone's dusty old attic.

I think Dr. Gillette was supposed to send his effects to his family. I vaguely recall something about many artifacts from that time being destroyed in a house fire, but Betty would know for sure.
Yes, on that night Lewis might have purged himself of all kinds of thoughts and memories, particularly considering the limited amount of social contact he'd had during the previous months.
Perhaps he was just describing his time with the army to Dr. Gillette, recounting the old days and mentioned it in an offhand manner, not intending any significance.

I'd still love to see a transcript of the original conversation though, or at least the memoirs.

I read it took Gillette a while to get over the whole episode. He had sleepless nights after Lewis died. You would though, wouldn't you?

Cynics might say that Lewis wept for himself, that he was merely sorry because he'd been caught and was paying the price. I don't think that's so at all. I think he wept more for his family, and his mum in particular. I think he realised the full impact of what a terrible ordeal he had caused them, and how they'd be when they found out. If he did cry for himself, I think he cried because he wanted his mother.

You are right, Maddie. Lew was extremely remorseful, according to Gillette and the guards. He cried a lot and he particularly "wept bitterly" for his mother, according to Gillette. He was all alone. He could hear the others mourning for their brothers, husband, mother. He had no one. I think hearing the cries of Annie Surratt for her mother, Atzerodt's mother's cries for her son and the wailing of Davey's sisters struck him as just how alone he really was. It only added to his own grief for his parents - particularly his mother.