2006-03
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/28/2006
CORBETT, Thomas 'Boston' (1832-1894) On July 16, 1858, in order to avoid the temptation of prostitutes, Corbett castrated himself with a pair of scissors. Afterward, he went to a prayer meeting and ate a meal before going for medical treatment. Corbett joined the Union army at the outbreak of the American Civil War. He re-enlisted three times. His final rank was sergeant in the 16th New York Cavalry. He was captured by the Confederate Army on June 24, 1864, and was held captive at Andersonville Prison. He was eventually released and returned to his unit. On April 24, 1865, he was selected as one of the 26 cavalrymen to pursue John Wilkes Booth after his assassination of Abraham Lincoln. On April 26, they cornered Booth and fellow conspirator David Herold in a tobacco barn on the Virginia farm of Richard Garrett. The barn was set on fire. Herold surrendered, but Booth remained inside. Corbett was positioned by a large crack in the barn wall. He saw Booth moving about inside and shot him with a Colt revolver from a distance of several yards. Booth died a few hours later as Corbett's shot had hit his spinal cord. Corbett was immediately arrested for disobeying orders but the charges were dropped by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. Later, Stanton said, "The rebel is dead. The patriot lives." Corbett received his share of the reward money, amounting to $1,653.85. In his official statement, Corbett claimed he shot Booth because he thought Lincoln's assassin was getting ready to use his weapons. This was denied by other witnesses. When asked later why he did it, he said that "God told me to do it," unsurprising considering his deeply religious background. Autograph Letter Signed, "Boston Corbett Sgt. Co. L, 16th N.Y. Cavalry" 1p. octavo, Lincoln Barracks, Washington, D.C., May 11, 1865, addressed to a Mr. Harrington, and reads in part: "...In answer to your request I would say that Booth was shot on the morning of the 26th of April 1865 near Port Royal, Virginia at which place we crossed the Rappahannock in pursuit. He lived but a short time after he was shot, perhaps 3 hours, and at or about seven o'clock that morning he died..." Some staining of paper at extreme margin , else near Fine.
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