Lewis Powell: The conspirator who was "different."

[LincolnMan]

While glancing through the Time Llfe book The Assassination: Death of the President from the Civil War series, I came on some notes concerning Lewis Powell (the book calls him "Paine") on page 154:

What astounded onlookers about Paine was his dignity, his coolness and his apparent indifference to what was going on in the courtroom. He was guilty of the attack on Seward, he said, and he wished they would "hang him quick" and get it over with. Proudly erect and beautifully muscled, he passed much of his time in the courtroom staring dreamily out of the window. He never wept but he laughed once-when he was requested to try on the hat he had dropped in Seward's bedroom. Of all the defendants, he was the only one who throughout the trial appeared perfectly at ease.


What do you think accounts for his behaviors? He, apparently, was not like the others at all.

[BettyO]

Quote:"What astounded onlookers about Paine was his dignity, his coolness and his apparent indifference to what was going on in the courtroom. He was guilty of the attack on Seward, he said, and he wished they would "hang him quick" and get it over with. Proudly erect and beautifully muscled, he passed much of his time in the courtroom staring dreamily out of the window. He never wept but he laughed once-when he was requested to try on the hat he had dropped in Seward's bedroom. Of all the defendants, he was the only one who throughout the trial appeared perfectly at ease."

Time Llfe book The Assassination: Death of the President from the Civil War series

Quite an interesting speculation, Bill. Mostly taken from Kunhardt's Twenty Days.

Yes, he told his guard "I hope they hang me quick." And yes he was proud and stoic in the courtroom, laughing and smiling when he was dressed in the coat and hat. But he was laughing at William Bell's remark, "Oh, I should think he knows me well enough." The entire court laughed at Bell's statement, and Powell joined in.

But this was Lew Powell's courtroom demeanor. In his cell he wept and prayed according to his guards and Dr. Gillette. He was proud, courageous and gallant, but he was not about to sob in the courtroom. The only time he showed emotion was blushing at the ladies' remarks directed towards him when he entered the dock and when his constipation was mentioned. He teared up a bit only once when Doster mentioned his mother in his argument. He did shed tears on the gallows, but who could blame him there. He was extremely young and repentant.

No, Powell was NOT like the others in that he seemed to have a great deal of pride and maturity for one so young. He was a soldier, who comported himself with dignity and soldier-like qualities in the courtroom and under a great deal of stress, whereas the others were civilians (except in the case of both Sam Arnold and Mike O'Laughlen.) He was the youngest prisoner in the dock, but he was also the only complete soldier.

[LincolnMan]

Too bad the book didn't bring all that out in the description. I think it is misleading really. If I were a first-time reader of the proceedings, I might get the impression that Powell was some sort of giant dumb man who didn't care about his own fate.

[BettyO]

And that is exactly what the press wanted to portray, Bill! Not a truthful representation of Powell at all. But the press needed a target. Booth was dead so they went directly for Powell's throat. He was also known to be very quiet and in prison, although distraught in his cell, he was also quite close-mouthed and didn't say much. T. T. Eckert attempted to get things out of Lew, but he was again, rather quiet and didn't divulge much - especially if he thought that it would draw other people into the mess he himself was in.

All who knew this boy, including Christian Rath, as well as others who had known him when he was serving under Mosby, and boarding at the Branson and Surratt Houses spoke of Powell as a truthful, man who was "held in high esteem", courteous, kind natured, quiet, courageous and dignified. General William H. Payne verified this as well as Lt. Ben Palmer, of the 43rd Battalion, Sam Mitchell, Powell's best friend who served with him in the 2nd Florida and Dr. Abram Dunn Gillette. William Wilkins Glenn, a Maryland Journalist who interviewed Reverend Augustus Stryker also confirmed that Powell was "gentlemanly, earnest in his love for the Confederacy and intelligent." (Between North and South, A Maryland Journalist Views the Civil War, William Wilkins Glenn, Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1976)

Although he was a stolid church goer, according to Glenn, attending church both morning and evening, Powell was also, according to General Payne and Christian Rath, a great lover of practical jokes and somewhat of a mischief maker in his army regiments.

[LincolnMan]

Betty your knowledge of Powell is amazing and it provides such illumination to who he really was. You've said in other posts that he felt he acted as a soldier doing his duty. Do you know if he had changed his thinking on that? Did he ever express that he felt betrayed by Booth?

[BettyO]

Quote:Did he ever express that he felt betrayed by Booth?

Powell never changed his viewpoint that he was acting as a soldier under the orders of his government, according to Dr. Gillette who claimed that Lew told him that up to the very hour before he walked to the gallows. Powell was extremely repentant about what he had done and in fact was quite horrified by the crime as soon as he committed it, according to the good Doctor. "He held no animosity towards Mr. Seward or the Seward family but insisted that he was acting as a soldier and as a soldier only." ("The Last Days of Payne", Daniel Gillette - Dr. Gillette's son, - New York World, April 3, 1892.)

Powell rather explained that he was led into the affair by Booth. Lew was introduced to JWB by John Surratt, after Powell went to Parr's China Shop to act in the kidnap venture. The story that Powell met Booth in Richmond in 1861 at the theater is a canard, due to the fact that Booth was NOT playing in Richmond in 1861. Lew may have "met Booth in Richmond" at a later date, after he was selected to work in the kidnap venture. Powell had the chance to travel, like Surratt, back and forth through the lines. When he assisted in the capture of Captain Richard Blazer, in November of 1864, Lew was given the agreeable duty, along with two other Rangers, Cab Maddux and Syd Ferguson, of escorting Captain Blazer to imprisonment in Libby Prison. He could have "met" Booth in Richmond at this time as well. This was just before Powell was recruited to work in the kidnap venture.

But Powell feeling "betrayed" by Booth. I don't think so - angry at his getting involved in Booth's plans? Probably so - and more so at himself rather than Booth.

[HerbS]

BettyO-You are the most insightful, knowledgeable historian and author I have ever come to know[including my mentor-Dr.Albert Castel].Bill-Great post!Powell could play linebacker for the Buffalo Bills in this era.BettyO-You have presented him as a human being![Job Well Done].

[BettyO]

Herb, m'dear - you flatter me faaaaarrr too much! I'm just "doing my job!"

I have to agree with you about the linebacker! Mr. Hall always said that Powell could play defensive linebacker or full back on any college football team!

Thanks again, Herb. You are way too kind!

[Jim Garrett]

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.

Thank you Betty. As always, a pleasure to hear from you.

[MaddieM]

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

[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.

[LincolnMan]

Betty: forgive me for looking in this book (perhaps), but I thought I see what Otto Eisenschiml had to say about Powell in his book Why Was Lincoln Murdered? I have reproduced in bold lettering a couple words that stood out for me as "problematic"-tell me if you think I'm correct please. On page 250, he wrote the following:

"Lewis Paine, who had attempted the life of Secretary Seward and who had almost massacred his household, cheerfully admitted his complicity. This young giant with the defiant eyes offered no defense and expected to walk to the gallows with his head erect and a joke on his lips....But to the prison guards he was a hero, and they showed him what little favors they could under the circumstances."


Is it just me Betty? Am I reading too much into this?

[BettyO]

Quote:"Lewis Paine, who had attempted the life of Secretary Seward and who had almost massacred his household, cheerfully admitted his complicity. This young giant with the defiant eyes offered no defense and expected to walk to the gallows with his head erect and a joke on his lips....But to the prison guards he was a hero, and they showed him what little favors they could under the circumstances."

Ah - I know this is from our old friend, Mr. Eisenschiml, and it sounds somewhat right to a degree. Yes, the guards did like him, but I really don't know if they did what they could to mitigate the circumstances of his imprisonment. Lew did walk to his death erect, with his head up - but he was far from making any type of joke. He walked unsupported but more or less with tears in his eyes..... I think Eisenschiml was utilizing the old canard that he was unconcerned and carefree. Not so. This was what the press generally said - although some, such as GATH, stated otherwise....

Is this what you meant?

Nothing to forgive, Bill! I own BOTH of his books!

[LincolnMan]

Yes, Betty-its exactly what I meant. Thanks for commenting on the passages-seems like everyone "got into the act."

[Jim Garrett]

If you try to put yourself into the 1860s and understand the "minds of the times". For your Southern soldier, they were usually from a rural area and have deep religious roots. Their age is late teens to early twenties and more often than not, have experienced the loss of family members and friends to one of the many illnesses, (think of either the Lincoln or Booth families losing multiple children). So by the time they enter the war, they have seen death, accepted it, and understand that life is eternal, but short here on earth.

Now your typical Southern soldier is in camp, in units composed of family and friends, that because of their rural lifestyles, are easy targets for mass outbreaks of everything from chick pox, to social desease. They now witness people they have known all their lives, dropping like flies. Then compound the devastating wound created by the ordinance of the time, and your either numb to death, or just accept the odds.

Young Lew Powell had seen more than his fair share, as a participant in battle, and as a caregiver as a POW hospital steward. After "the deed", he recognized that his own death was inevitable, but it was at least going to be quick with limited suffering compared to what he had seen.

Brave and stoic, he accepted his lotte, knew he was forgiven his sins, and that the life ahead would be better than the life he was leaving behind.