James Edwin Powell

Who was James Edwin Powell?

Major James Edwin Powell an American army officer during the 19th century. He served as an officer in the 1st Infantry, Regular Army of the United States, detached to the 25th Missouri on March 24, 1862.

Major Powell is credited for leading a reconnaissance party in the early morning of April 6, 1862 to investigate suspicions that Confederate troops were in the area of Union camps located along the Tennessee River. Powell led three companies from the 25th Missouri and two companies from the 12th Michigan Infantry. They are credited with discovering Confederate forces which had planned a surprise attack on Union forces. After confronting Confederate forces, the Battle or Shiloh began. Major Powell is depicted on a marker at stop #8 at Shiloh National Military Park on the battlefield tour route down Reconnoitering Road to Fraley Field where the Battle of Shiloh began.

Before the Civil War, he enlisted as a private assigned to Company A, 9th Infantry in 1847, and served in the Mexican American War. He was at the "Battle of Chapultepec" and other battles. Powell died on April 6, 1862 in the Battle of Shiloh.

National Archive Records state Powell's occupation as "hunter"when he enlisted in the Mexican-American War at Castle Perote, Mexico on August 1, 1847. These records also give a physical description of Powell and state he had gray eyes, brown hair, ruddy complexion, and was 5’4” in height. Lieutenant James M. Newhard’s post-Shiloh report, called Powell “our noble little Major.”