Lewis Powell: The conspirator who was "different."

[BettyO]

Quote:Over the past couple of years, there has been a surge in the understanding of the conspirators as people, the lives, families, feelings, etc. At the forefront of this has been Betty. She has taken the mysterious "Paine", and let us learn about the real Powell. Next to JWB, Lewis was probably the most intelligent, (and probably most level headed). She has brought to life, the young dedicated soldier, who was denounced as a mindless thug. Sad how so many "historians" have sold a short inaccurate portrait of this intelligent and (dare I say) caring young man.

Jim, Many thanks for your kind words - you are much too kind, really. Yes, Powell was a human being - and a good person, really. People don't see that unfortunately as they only concentrate on the crime and not on the boy himself - who he was and WHY he did what he did. Everyone who knew him was impressed with his gentle attitude, friendliness and good natured personality. He was described as gallant to ladies, a true gentleman - yet a lover of practical jokes and as with most young men, a mischief maker who wasn't above a dare if egged on by his comrades. I only hope I can convey that he was truly human and was a decent human being, even though he did commit this horrid crime in light of viewing it as "his duty to his country." He was truly horrified afterwards by what he did.

Quote:Imagine what he could have become, had he survived the war and lived out his life down a different pathway.

Maddie - you are so very, very right. This young man had a LOT of potential - and several newspaper articles in the late 1860s and early 1870s have said as much. Had this boy NOT gone to war, he could have clearly had the potential to be a doctor, a veterinarian, a minister - anything he put his mind to. His only surviving brother, George, studied law after the war and ended up as a highly respected judge and minister. Lewis could and would have very much done the same.