Powell's revolver

[GARY POPOLO]

There is just SO MUCH to see, Heath! Don't feel bad --

Here's Powell's pistol at Ford's.....

Betty, A beautiful picture of Lewis's pistol. I have to get back to ford's theater. It has been so long since I have been back there and the sad thing is I don't live but three hours away. Time seems to escape me anymore. Will try again in the fall. Best

Gary

[MaddieM]

Sorry for my late arrival to the discussion. I've been swamped at work this summer and have to rely on Roger to alert me to a thread I might want to join.

I wrote a lengthy article on this revolver for the Surratt Courier last year so I won't repeat most of my conclusions here. But the statement that the pistol has no firing pin is correct. Pistols that use a "centerfire" cartridge have a firing pin to strike the primer embedded in the base of the cartridge. Percussion pistols like Powell's Whitney simply had a hammer that fell on the percussion cap to explode it.

I don't know if Powell attempted to shoot Frederick Seward or not. The record is rather vague. Frederick's statement that the gun must have misfired came many years after the attack and seems to be a presumption on his part. So I don't know if Powell used the pistol as a club simply because they were in close quarters or because he had attempted to fire it and it didn't work. A misfire can be due to wet powder, a defective percussion cap, and other problems.

Powell's gun did break but it was at the loading ram underneath the barrel. This occurred when he hit Seward over the head. I don't know how many times he hit Frederick Seward but enough to break his skull into several pieces. It was a nearly fatal attack. When the loading ram broke, the whole loading assembly fell off. That's what holds the cylinder in place. The gun literally fell to pieces on the floor.

So it's safe to say he probably hit him with the gun sideways on? He wouldn't have had time to hold it any other way, I shouldn't imagine.

[Jatkins252]

It is ironic, I just looked back through my pictures I took when Heath and I were there for the tour, a d I have a picture of everything in that case, except, the revolver. You are correct, there is a lot to see. I can not wait until the conference next year.

[Wesley Harris]

[/quote]

So it's safe to say he probably hit him with the gun sideways on? He wouldn't have had time to hold it any other way, I shouldn't imagine.
[/quote]
For the pistol to break the way it did, Powell had to be holding it by the grip in the same manner as if to shoot it. The point of impact is with the bottom side of the pistol. The doctors first thought that Frederick's injuries were made by a knife because of the elongated wounds caused by the length of the barrel. There are illustrations of the attack showing Powell holding the pistol by the barrel using the butt of the grip as a club but that is incorrect.

[Gene C]

I'm glad you explained that, I had always pictured it with Powell holding it by the pistol barrel using the butt as a club. That just seems to be the most effective way to hit someone with it, and with the most force.

[wsanto]

Obviously the gun was reassembled for display and appears to be in fine condition. Does any part of the gun appear bent or damged in any way to the experts? Were any of its parts replaced in order to reassemble it?

I would think a skull would not bend the metal parts of a gun but, on the other hand, I can imagine the gun's parts disasssembling with repeated savage blows to the head.

[Wesley Harris]

Obviously the gun was reassembled for display and appears to be in fine condition. Does any part of the gun appear bent or damged in any way to the experts? Were any of its parts replaced in order to reassemble it?

I would think a skull would not bend the metal parts of a gun but, on the other hand, I can imagine the gun's parts disasssembling with repeated savage blows to the head.

If you look at Betty's photo, just above the upper right corner of the little sign, you can see where the loading ram attaches to the loading lever. The loading ram is like a little plunger to press the lead ball into the cylinder. The connection between the ram and the rest of the lever (there's a little pin there) broke into. I can not determine if the small break was ever repaired. You can see the loading lever runs along the bottom of the barrel. It has a tiny fastener at its tip. When it's released, the entire lever can be removed, which causes the cylinder to fall out.

[Linda Anderson]

I don't know if Powell attempted to shoot Frederick Seward or not. The record is rather vague. Frederick's statement that the gun must have misfired came many years after the attack and seems to be a presumption on his part. So I don't know if Powell used the pistol as a club simply because they were in close quarters or because he had attempted to fire it and it didn't work. A misfire can be due to wet powder, a defective percussion cap, and other problems.

Powell's gun did break but it was at the loading ram underneath the barrel. This occurred when he hit Seward over the head. I don't know how many times he hit Frederick Seward but enough to break his skull into several pieces. It was a nearly fatal attack. When the loading ram broke, the whole loading assembly fell off. That's what holds the cylinder in place. The gun literally fell to pieces on the floor.

Thanks for all the information on Powell's gun, Wesley. William and Fred Seward gave an interview to the London Spectator, "The Sensation of Being Murdered," in November 1865 in which Fred recalls that the trigger "snapped."

"Mr. Frederick Seward said that, on stepping from his bed-room into the passage, and seeing the assassin, he merely wondered what he was doing there, and called him to account. On his resisting the fellow's endeavour to press into Mr. Seward's room, he (the assassin) drew a revolver, which he presented at Mr. Frederick Seward's head. What followed, it must be remembered, took place in a few seconds. Mr. Frederick Seward's first thought was, 'that's a navy revolver.' The man pulled the trigger, but it only snapped, and his intended victim thought, 'that cap missed fire.'"

http://beck.library.emory.edu/iln/browse...7.1344.005

Also, Fred testified in the 1867 trial of John Surratt that Powell put the gun to his (Fred's) head. "The next instant I heard the click of the lock, and then remember to have thought, 'Well, the pistol has missed fire.'"

Fanny wrote in her first account of assassination night, written three weeks after the event, that she had found part of Powell's revolver near the stairs.

"Next where I found the [Powell's] hat the pistol was picked up. I found Robinson looking for the priming on the floor - he said it was missing, and if stepped on might do mischief. He soon found it.

"The next morning, on my way up stairs, I picked up the iron [blank in Ms.] which I found lying on the floor at the foot of the second landing."

From Sensitivity and Civil War by Patricia Carley Johnson.

[LincolnMan]

Obviously the gun was reassembled for display and appears to be in fine condition. Does any part of the gun appear bent or damged in any way to the experts? Were any of its parts replaced in order to reassemble it?

I would think a skull would not bend the metal parts of a gun but, on the other hand, I can imagine the gun's parts disasssembling with repeated savage blows to the head.

If you look at Betty's photo, just above the upper right corner of the little sign, you can see where the loading ram attaches to the loading lever. The loading ram is like a little plunger to press the lead ball into the cylinder. The connection between the ram and the rest of the lever (there's a little pin there) broke into. I can not determine if the small break was ever repaired. You can see the loading lever runs along the bottom of the barrel. It has a tiny fastener at its tip. When it's released, the entire lever can be removed, which causes the cylinder to fall out.

I own a Colt 1860 revolver (like the one Boston Corbett had). It has the same loading ram divide. I can see that it could be fairly easily damaged if pounded against something. Also, because of it's size and weight it could do considerable damage to someone's head.

[L Verge]

Off the subject, but wsanto, your avatar is growing up and prettier each time!

[MaddieM]

You can see here on this site, how the revolver comes apart.

http://www.nramuseum.org/the-museum/the-...olver.aspx

[Rsmyth]

I second that Laurie.

[BettyO]

You can see here on this site, how the revolver comes apart.

Neat site! Thanks, Maddie!

[wsanto]

Off the subject, but wsanto, your avatar is growing up and prettier each time!

That's actually my older daughter, Gabriella. Thank you for the nice compliment Laurie.

[Wesley Harris]

I can't determine if the sound Fred heard -- "the click of the lock" -- was Powell cocking the pistol to prepare it to fire or actually pulling the trigger resulting in a misfire. It's essentially the same sound either way. Powell could have attempted to shoot him or he may have merely cocked the gun as a threat but then the fight was on.