Description:

Boston Corbett
n.p., April 27, 1865
Boston Corbett Signature, One Day After Shooting Booth!
Signature
A very rare and timely signature executed on a 4" x 1.25" sheet, [n.p.], Apr. 27, 1865. Flattened folds, mounting traces to verso with a discreet tape repair thereat, else very good.

Penned just one day after Corbett shot John Wilkes Booth, Corbett signs, in full: "Boston Corbett / Co., L. 16th NY Cavalry / April 27th, 1865."

Boston Corbett (1832-disappeared 1888) was a Sergeant in the 16th New York Cavalry Regiment in late April 1865. Corbett's unit had been tasked with apprehending suspected assassin John Wilkes Booth and his accomplice David Herold, both on the run. The two conspirators were holed up in a tobacco barn at Richard Garrett's farm in Port Royal, Virginia. Herold surrendered to Union troops, but Booth resisted, and the barn was set on fire. The troops had strict instructions from Secretary of War Edwin Stanton to bring Booth back alive, yet in the chaos, Corbett, a devoutly religious, shot Booth through the head and neck, later explaining, "Providence directed me." Booth, whose gunshot injury rendered him paralyzed, died two hours later of asphyxia. Corbett was initially arrested and court-martialed for disobeying orders. Stanton later released Corbett with his thanks, and the awkward hero was widely praised as "Lincoln's Avenger." Corbett's mental instability has been attributed to a host of possible causes, including religious fanaticism and past exposure to toxic hat-making chemicals. The troubled ex-veteran disappeared in 1888 after escaping from the Topeka Asylum for the Insane.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 4" x 1.25"
  • Medium: Signature

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