Thomas F. Harney

[John Fazio]

(11-14-2014 08:48 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  

(11-14-2014 08:23 AM)John Fazio Wrote:  it was a "Friday Night Massacre", or at least at attempt at one, when as many as 15 Northern leaders were to be eliminated, if everything had gone according to plan.

Wow! Without giving away from your book can you expound just a little on this?

Roger:

Happily.

1. The T.I.O.S. letter, an anonymous letter addressed to Booth dated April 10, 1865, contains the following relevant statements:

"George has the plan fixed for the Secretary and for Stanton."
"If the four are assassinated our wrongs are avenged. I am all right about my victim. I could have killed him a week ago, but I am waiting for yours."
"There is one man for every one in the Cabinet." (The L.A., p. 38)

2. In a letter dated May 10, 1865, the writer, a Union agent in Paris, reported that a Confederate agent, "Johnston", said he arrived in Washington at 5:00 p.m. on April 14 and within half an hour knew an "attack" was to be made. "Johnston" states further that if everything had gone according to plan, 15 Yankees would be dead, not one. (The L.A., p. 727)

3. Powell told Eckert that it was his impression that arrangements had been made with others for the same disposition as he was to make of Mr. Seward. (Impeachment Investigation, pp. 673-675) "Others" most certainly did not refer to Atzerodt and Herold, one of whom balked at his assignment and was thought by Booth to be completely unreliable and the other of whom was said by a doctor who testified at the trial to have the mentality of an 11-year old.

4. There is strong evidence for failed attempts to assassinate Johnson, Stanton and Grant and weak evidence for attacks on Chase, Sherman, Welles, Usher, Speed and Sumner.

John