POWELL alias TORDELL, JOHN [SSNE 1717]

Surname

POWELL alias TORDELL

First name

JOHN

Title/rank

CAPTAIN

Nationality

WELSH

Social status

OFFICER

Text source

John Powell served in the Scottish regiment of Samuel Cockburn in Swedish service in 1611. By 1630 he returned to Britain and recruited a company in Sir James Ramsay's [SSNE 6657] regiment in the army of the James Marquis of Hamilton [SSNE 1348] which was destined for Swedish service in June 1630. He was permitted to recruit for his company in Gloucester, Hereford, Monmouth, Brecknock, Glamorgan, Camarthen, Radnor, Montgomery and Berkshire. Soon after Powell wrote to Kildare in 1633 begging for help. He added, ‘I have lived in 40 odd years in service of war, and never had a resting place or foot of land in my life, but ever subjecting myself to my employmentwhich now in my declining age is scare fitting to any being of 65years. In the time if my continuance in wars, I suffered much misery,divers shot and maims’. He noted that he had been shot 8 times which accounted for his weak and sickly physique. He had just returned from Germany to see his wife whom he’d not seen for 4 years; now committed to prison is Dublin Castle.

 

Sources:

Swedish Krigsarkiv, Muster Roll, 1611/4; 1631-06-08, p.377, 8 June 1631; Public Records Office (Northern Ireland), D.3078/3/1/5, p. 124 – John Powell to Kildare, 7 May 1633. This is published in A. Clarke and B. McGrath (eds.), Letterbook of George 16th Earl of Kildare. (Dublin, Irish Manuscripts Commission, 2013). p. 91 Thanks to Prof. Jane Ohlmeyer for originally alerting us to Powell and to Dr. Bríd McGrath for updates and providing further information  

Service record

SWEDEN, SAMUEL COCKBURN

Arrived 1611-01-01, as LIEUTENANT

Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY

STUART KINGDOMS, SWEDEN, HAMILTON'S ARMY (JAMES RAMSEY)

Arrived 1631-06-08, as CAPTAIN

Departed 0000-01-01

Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY