Lewis Powell: The conspirator who was "different."

[BettyO]

Quote:Is there any concrete evidence that he was acting under orders from the confederate military/government? It seems like this is more of an excuse he was making than reality.

There is nothing "concrete" but all evidence seemingly points in the direction that yes, he was working under orders from the Confederate military government. Have you read my book, Alias Paine? In it, I list primary sources which state that Powell was more or less assigned to work with the Confederate Secret Service and sanctioned by Colonel John S. Mosby to leave his unit and work thus. Also see Come Retribution by Messrs. Hall, Gaddy and Tidwell....

Quote:If you are a MS/HS teacher, you should consider assigning a chapter out of the Swanson book - it makes history come alive for the students. I have students who ask to read more. It may be more for the lay person, as you say, but it is good reading and full of facts (and I am sure opinions in how to portray the historical figures).

I am not a teacher - but as long as the book inspires students to learn more, I'm all for it. Again, Mr. Swanson's "research" is literally that of foregoing authors and historians. I don't think he gives a clear "portrayal" of Powell inasmuch as he uses other's opinions that he was a brainless brute.

Quote:My understanding is that he was in fact arrested for savagely beating the woman, but the witnesses refused to come in and give statements, at which point he was held for 2 days under the suspicion of being a spy.

You are correct - but he was held and arrested as a spy - not for assault and battery.

Quote:Even if maids were treated poorly back then, that seems to be a pretty abnormal and violent attack for the time period.

Definitely so, but we don't have the full particulars on exactly how violent the confrontation was; it was said was that he struck her on the forehead and then kicked her. Agreed, pretty rash treatment - but what did the maid do to anger him? He said that she "called him names"; again a pretty rash response. But one wonders how much she knew and if she was basically "blackmailing" him.

Quote:Did Lewis Powell panic at the Seward home, because women were present?

No certainly not - I believe he panicked because he had never fought in close quarters before. Powell was used to fighting out doors and then quickly skedaddling; using Mosby's "hit and run" tactics. This time he was in a house; closely confined. It was a "first" for him. He knew therefore that he'd have to make his way in, shoot Seward and then quickly affect an escape.

Quote:He was calm enough to deceive his way into the home. He made the poor decision to use his pistol as a club before he saw a woman. With Fannie screaming in the room he intensely, but 'calmly' told Sgt. Robinson that he was mad and made the calculated decision not to kill Robinson when he easily could have. When he left the house he didn't gallop away, but trotted away.

He did resort to the use of his pistol on Fred Seward - but he did not "calmly" tell Robinson he was mad. This statement was made while he was attempting to escape after he had stabbed Seward and was grappling with Robinson and Gus Seward at the foot of the bed. He spoke in "an intense but low voice, "I'm mad!" He may have also yelled it as he ran down the stairs and stabbed Hansell in the back. He was striking at everyone and everybody in order to make his escape.

Quote:I think as a soldier he was able to control his nerves enough to not panic.

Perhaps - but I think he had a case of the jitters that night - either that or he had been drinking a bit. Bell said that his face was very red and flushed when he came in.

Quote:He did supposedly take a wrong turn and then not find his way out.

He went near Bennings Bridge and found that a gate had been put up and supposedly turned around to go another way. In any way, I think he was headed up to Baltimore and the Branson boarding house.

Quote:When he did go to Surratt's house he wasn't at his sharpest.

#1 He failed to notice soldiers outside the home. He should have been more observant knowing that there would be a manhunt.

#2 He quickly told the soldiers inside the home that he must have the wrong house, then quickly admitted it was the right house when they said it was the Surratt house instead of trying to leave for the 'right' house.

#3 Then he came up with a completely unbelievable cover story for why he was at the Surratt house. Claiming to be a rarely employed, poor day laborer, while wearing fine too-expensive clothes and showing up in the darkness of night with a pick axe to confirm what time to dig tomorrow.

If he was very smart, hiding out for a few days had to have seriously rattled him beyond clear thought at the time of this arrest.

Agreed. He had been thrown from his horse and knocked out (perhaps an apparent concussion - his face had been cut up a bit; having a black eye and a bloody lip). He had also gone for three days without any food or sleep. He was dog tired and dead on his feet so no, he was not at his "best" thinking wise or any other way. You are right in thinking that perhaps he was thoroughly rattled by the time of his arrest.