Thomas F. Harney

[SSlater]

I have a problem with Harney actually blowing up the White House. Do you think it would work?
My experience with "torpedoes" is limited, because I was concerned with finding them and negating their effectiveness. (Big difference).
The only pictures that I've seen of 1865 Torpedoes, show a wrinkled metal keg, with pointed ends, that was suspended below the waters surface. Some of these were set off by remote control, and some went BOOM on contact. They were effective against boats with wooden bottoms.
I am aware of the of "The Crater" at Petersburg, that consisted of a mine - 130' long X 60' wide X 30' deep, and pack with 8000 pounds of gunpowder. It took many Pennsylvania Coal Miners several weeks to dig and then pack with power. That was a source of energy, that might not detonate. Anyway, it worked (the explosion worked - not the battle afterward.)
The people under the white house didn't have that much room to work in. I am in serious doubt that Harney had anything near 8000 pounds of Black Powder with him. Where would he get it in D.C.?
If Mosby was expected to provide it, how would he get it into D. C. without being uncovered. (How long would that have taken?)
A few years ago there was a humorous story about the CONFEDERATE ATOM BOMB. Everyone laughed, and the story went away. Maybe I should read it again.
Let's examine an explosion. 1st. It must be combustible material - OK
2nd It must burn rapidly - in that closed space - to create an explosion, otherwise it will burn out in time. Dynamite was not invented until after the war, by Nobel (As in -Nobel Prize).
That means all the powder has to burn immediately and completely.
Why didn't the Rebs arrange a meeting with Lincoln, and leave a satchel under the table, when they left? (Ala the attempt on Hitler at the Wolf's Lair" by Claus Von Stauffenberg.) P.S. There were 6 attempts on Hitler before Von Stauffenberg tried, they all failed.
I think that the bomb to kill Lincoln would have to be set off IN the White House, not under it. Or, they could put an manageable size bomb under the porch at the Soldier's Home. Or, in some doorway that Lincoln was known to use.
ANYONE KNOW ANY MORE ABOUT THIS ATTEMPT?
We all know that the Secret Service, always hid their plans under Code names , and talked about the Deed in coded terms. This is an extreme example of their system. They had another plan!!! In my opinion, Stringfellow had no part in the real plan, or he would not have left Washington at this critical time.
We have no idea of the real plan, it may not have involved Lincoln at all. At least it was not a bomb in the sewer.
That's enough for now. I haven't arrived at an answer that I believe in. HELP.