Will the real Thomas F. Harney, PLEASE STAND UP!

[SSlater]

I'm off AGAIN, on a search for more info on Harney. I will post as often as I can, and I ask you to PLEASE participate. Feel free to comment on - add to - deduct from - improve on , etc. the findings that I post and whatever. Let's nail this rascal - "for certain".

To begin. Harney spent most of his known life in one army or another. I expect we will find very little, in the Census Records, or in the City Directories. Unfortunately, the Census is not always a reliable source for good information. Here is an example of what I mean. The 1860 Census for New Orleans, LA (NOLA) was taken on 13 June 1860 (by a Provost Marshal named SLATER- How 'bout dat!)
Then we learn that Harney is said to have deserted from the Army Nov. 11, 1860. Our Harney could not have lived in NOLA, and been in the Army too. I think the Census is wrong to give one of the Harneys credit for the work done by Harney in the Confederate Engineering Bureau (5 years later.) Yet this is proof that one of the NOLA

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(something happened to my Post. All of a sudden it was gone. Is there a time limit to posting?
Harneys is OUT.
As a starting point for our "look see", my next post will be Harney's Army career - subject to your approval.

Here's an example of new news. I found a letter, on the computer, that Thomas F. Harney wrote in 1862, complete with his signature. (My printer isn't working or I would copy it.) He was writing to the Provost Marshal in St. Louis, MO in answer to an accusation of being "suspected of disloyal activities".
BACKGROUND: The State of Missouri was in the Union before the War. At that time Harney
joined the (Union ) Army - the 6th MO Inf. As time passes, The State of Missouri left the Union
- but the Army remained loyal to the Union. The Soldiers then formed two "6th MO Inf. Units."
One "Union" and one "Rebel". Harney chose the "Rebels". So- his deserting is shown in the "Union" Records, but not in the "Rebel" Records.
Harney tried to argue his way out of the predicament with this reply to the Provost Marshal.

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Whatever is happening - it did it again.
Lots of questions pop into my mind with this situation, For example. Why was Harney in St. Louis at this time? It had to be in the summer of 1862, because he gets wounded in late '62, and captured at Christmas time.

This letter raises many questions. How did the Provost Marshal know what Harney looked like - to hand him this accusation? How did the Marshal know he was in town? (He had to prepare the letter before giving it to him. ) The Provost Marshal must have known the Harney would come to St, Louis - because it was his HOME TOWN. Harney confirms this last statement - he tells us he lived on Carondolet, MO. (This later becomes part of St. Louis proper)

From this letter I am beginning to think that he never was in Cass County, and a school teacher. He does not show in any Cass County records - but he lived on Cass Street in St. Louis.

There is a Thomas Harney living in St, Lewis, but he is an Attorney. I still don't know if the Attorney is "our" Tommy, but it wouldn't surprise me. I cannot find the Attorney in any other year, or any other place, other this one site. If he isn't Tommy, then he is his Father or some other relative. If it is his father, then Tommy had his good education foisted upon him at the diner table.

I doubt -very seriously- that Our Tommy could not have been one of those 16/18/ 20 year old immigrants that arrived in the US, and became a School Teacher. We neeed to find an older immigrant or erase the reference.

That's enough for now. I want to work on Harney's trip through the various jails in 1865. See ya later JFS