Lewis Powell, American soldier, attempted assassin of William H. Seward (d. 1865)

The tumultuous final days of the American Civil War saw desperate acts from a crumbling Confederacy, and among the most infamous figures to emerge from this period was Lewis Thornton Powell. Born on April 22, 1844, Powell, who also went by the aliases Lewis Payne and Lewis Paine, was a young Confederate soldier whose path led him to become a central, albeit tragic, participant in the conspiracy to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln and key members of his administration. His role was chillingly specific: to eliminate Secretary of State William Henry Seward.

Powell's journey into the heart of this conspiracy began with his service to the Confederate cause. He joined the Confederate Army early in the war, fighting bravely but also enduring the brutal realities of conflict. He was wounded at the pivotal Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, a turning point that signaled the Confederacy's waning fortunes. Following his recovery, Powell's service took a different turn; he joined Colonel John S. Mosby's legendary partisan rangers, known for their daring raids and guerilla tactics behind Union lines. This experience likely honed his skills in covert operations and instilled a deep loyalty to the Confederate cause, eventually leading him to work with the Confederate Secret Service in Maryland, a hotbed of Southern sympathizers and clandestine activities.

The Conspiracy's Evolution

It was through these connections that Powell came into the orbit of John Wilkes Booth, the charismatic and fanatical Confederate sympathizer who harbored a deep hatred for Lincoln and the Union. Booth's initial scheme was not assassination, but rather the audacious kidnapping of President Lincoln. The plan was to abduct the president and deliver him to the Confederacy, hoping to exchange him for captured Confederate soldiers or to leverage his capture to force a favorable peace settlement. Powell, with his background in covert operations and his unwavering commitment, was seen by Booth as an ideal recruit for such a dangerous undertaking. However, as the war drew to a close and the Confederacy's defeat became inevitable following Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox, Booth's desperation intensified. He drastically altered his plan, escalating it from kidnapping to a coordinated assassination plot targeting not just Lincoln, but also Vice President Andrew Johnson and Secretary of State William Henry Seward, aiming to decapitate the Union government and throw it into chaos.

The Attack on Secretary Seward

On the fateful night of April 14, 1865, as Booth assassinated Lincoln at Ford's Theatre, Powell was given his grim assignment: to kill Secretary William Henry Seward, who was recovering from a carriage accident in his Washington D.C. home. Powell was accompanied by another co-conspirator, David Herold, whose role was to guide Powell to Seward's residence and then assist in his escape. Armed with a revolver and a large knife, Powell gained entry to the Seward home by claiming to deliver medicine to the ailing Secretary. Once inside, he fought his way past Seward's son, Frederick, and a military nurse, inflicting severe injuries upon them and others who tried to intervene. Reaching Seward's bedroom, Powell repeatedly stabbed the Secretary, who miraculously survived the brutal attack, partly due to a neck brace he was wearing from his earlier accident. In the chaos and confusion, Herold, overwhelmed by fear and the sounds of struggle, abandoned Powell and fled the scene prematurely, leaving Powell to navigate his escape alone.

Capture, Trial, and Execution

After his violent escape from the Seward home, Powell, disoriented and without his guide, spent three days attempting to elude capture. His fateful mistake came on April 17, when he arrived at the boarding house run by Mary Surratt, the mother of another co-conspirator, John Surratt, and a known meeting place for the conspirators. Unbeknownst to Powell, the police were already at Surratt's house, conducting a thorough search as part of the massive manhunt for all involved in the assassination plot. His sudden appearance, disheveled and seemingly without a purpose, raised immediate suspicion, leading to his swift arrest. The Union government, reeling from the loss of its president and facing the threat of further instability, acted with speed and severity. Powell, along with Mary Surratt, David Herold, and George Atzerodt (who had been assigned to kill Vice President Johnson but failed to act), was tried by a military tribunal. Given the wartime context and the extreme nature of their crimes, the proceedings were swift, culminating in a guilty verdict and a sentence of death. On July 7, 1865, just three months after the assassination, Lewis Thornton Powell and his co-conspirators were executed by hanging at the Washington Arsenal, bringing a stark and tragic end to their lives and to one of the most infamous chapters in American history.

Frequently Asked Questions About Lewis Thornton Powell

Who was Lewis Thornton Powell?
Lewis Thornton Powell was a Confederate soldier who became a key figure in John Wilkes Booth's plot to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln and other high-ranking officials. He was assigned to kill Secretary of State William Henry Seward.
What other names did Lewis Thornton Powell use?
He was commonly known by the aliases Lewis Payne and Lewis Paine, which he adopted to conceal his identity, particularly after joining Booth's conspiracy.
What was Powell's role in the Lincoln assassination plot?
Powell's specific task was to assassinate Secretary of State William Henry Seward on the same night President Lincoln was killed. He violently attacked Seward in his home but failed to kill him.
How did Lewis Powell become involved with John Wilkes Booth?
After serving in the Confederate Army, being wounded at Gettysburg, and working with Mosby's Rangers and the Confederate Secret Service, Powell's connections within the Southern sympathizer network led him to be recruited by Booth, initially for a kidnapping plot that later evolved into assassination.
What happened during the attack on William Henry Seward?
On April 14, 1865, Powell entered Seward's home, fought off family members and staff, and repeatedly stabbed the bedridden Secretary. Seward, though severely wounded, survived the attack due to a neck brace he was wearing.
How was Lewis Powell captured?
Three days after the assassination attempt, Powell unexpectedly arrived at Mary Surratt's boarding house while police were present conducting a search. His suspicious appearance led to his immediate arrest.
Who was executed alongside Lewis Thornton Powell?
Lewis Thornton Powell was executed by hanging at the Washington Arsenal on July 7, 1865, along with three other co-conspirators: Mary Surratt, David Herold, and George Atzerodt.
Why was Powell tried by a military tribunal instead of a civilian court?
Given the extraordinary circumstances of the assassination of a president during wartime, and the belief that the conspirators were acting as enemy combatants, the government opted for a military tribunal, believing it offered a swifter and more decisive form of justice during a national emergency.