A Different Viewpoint of Lew Powell's Character

[BettyO]

I found, years ago, several references to Lew Powell being more or less as his father had described him; i.e. as being rather "kind and tender hearted" - not exactly the defiant, blood thirsty killer that the press attempted to make him out to be.

Yes, he was a professional soldier - and a well trained and very good one at that. Remember, he fought under Mosby, and as such, Powell would NOT have been even considered suitable Ranger material by the famed Gray Ghost had he been in any way an incompetent or disloyal military man....he was a boy, sure (and Mosby preferred boys in his unit as opposed to men), but he was also noted as being a strong fighter - referred to in one instance by a comrade as the "Terrible Lewis Powell".... but this "fighter" had an extremely soft side. According to another account, recorded by Clover Adams in her diary after she had attended the trial and spoke with one of Lew's guards, it was stated that Powell, while incarcerated in the Arsenal, was "impervious to threats and harshness, but was touched by kindness."

I have seen several references to this in various reports - but this one really surprised me when I first found it about 30 years ago....I've since seen it reprinted numerous times in many different papers and in different variations....this one by GATH (New York World, June 30, 1865)

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