Thomas F. Harney

[SSlater]

This will be my last post on Harney, (Glory Be!) until I find where he came from and where did he go?
Let's take a look at what we know and how some of it is questionable.
ITEM 1. Snyder made reference to "A Party" that was sent from the Torpedo Bureau, headed by, or Under, Harney. WRONG. Harney left alone. (Webster says "party" means a person or a group.)
Thus when Harney reached Gordonsville, VA, Maj. Boyle provided HIM with a horse, and later provided HIM with a guide.
ITEM 2. Lincoln listened to Snyder's statement and was not the least bit concerned. He had over 1000 threats to his life and had a separate file for them. This threat was filed with them accordingly. There was no "All Points Bulletin" sent out, to find Harney. Thus, when Harney was captured, there were no Orders to treat Harney any differently than any "Johnny Reb". He went to Old Capitol, then to Elmira, and finally released. (Where did he Go? )
ITEM 3. Who Captured Harney? The first attack came from Col. Albright and the 202nd Penna. Vol. During the battle, Harney and three others escaped and took off, all according to the plans. Eventually, Harney and friends were found -accidentally- by the 8th Il Cav. under Col. (B. Gen) Gamble.) I don't know the Company designation. Now they have Harney in Irons, and there are no Orders to treat him differently. This explains why he was treated so casually , to the surprise of some readers on this Forum.
ITEM 4. How come Thomas F. Summers was so available to be a guide? Summers had been with Leige White's "Comanches", but they were disbanded over a year earlier, when the Reb. Congress withdrew the Partisan Ranger Act and directed him not to join another Ranger Group. I guess Maj. Boyle had him (and maybe more) "in his back pocket", in case he was needed. Mosby's was stretched thin - Lt. Col Chapman had three or four Companies off in the Northern Neck, at this time. Mosby "incorporated" another Ranger Group, into his Command to form Co. H. (Against Orders). The story that he "Handpicked" his own Companies, to form Co., H - is not TRUE.
That's enough! See-ya.