Boston Corbett Autograph Re: Capturing John Wilkes Booth Nets $28,500 at Nate’s
To auction, buy, consign or sell a Boston Corbett autograph or a Boston Corbett autograph letter signed, please see http://www.NateDSanders.com, contact [email protected] or call (310) 440-2982.
Boston Corbett Autograph
A Boston Corbett autograph is worth around $1,000. What we at NateDSanders.com Auctions had was so much more than a Boston Corbett autograph. It was his handwritten statement signed detailing how he captured and slayed John Wilkes Booth, maybe one of the most incredible Boston Corbett items ever. This Boston Corbett autograph document signed sold for $28,500. Here is the description and a picture of the document:
Boston Corbett Autograph Document Signed
Boston Corbett autograph document signed detailing how he captured and slayed John Wilkes Booth, Lincoln’s assassin. Datelined Topeka, 19 January 1887, “Statement of Boston Corbett” reads: “In camp at Vienna, Virginia, on the morning of April 15th 1865 the news reached us that President Lincoln had been shot the night before…Our regiment the 16th N.Y. Cavalry was immediately ordered out in pursuit of the Assassin…Our Regt. was soon cut up into detachments…Col. N.B. Switzer…Major Bosworth…[and] First Lieut. Edward P. Doherty…They had photographs of Booth, Herold and Surratt…Captain Henry Wilson, who conveyed us to Belle Plain, where we landed and at once began the search between the two rivers Potomac and Rappahannock. At Port Conway the Ferryman recognized two of the pictures and said, Those two men crossed my ferry yesterday. Willie Jett, a Confederate officer, he said, aided them on their way, giving Booth a lift on his horse after crossing the river. We followed the clue given, captured Jett, who was compelled to guide us to the place where he had left the men. Arriving at Garretts Farm, the Lieut. said to me Booth is in that house, ride through the command, and see that every man’s pistol is in readiness for use. I did so…On entering the premises we found the men were no longer in the house, but had taken refuge in the barn. A surrender was demanded and refused. Booth declaring that he would not be taken alive. After much parleying Herold concluded to surrender, and was at once put under guard. The tobacco barn was then fired by Conger, the detective and Booth could then be seen. A single pistol shot from a Colts revolver brought him down and the capture was effected. A doctor was sent for who pronounced the wound fatal. Inside of three hours he was dead. Mr. Conger chose me as an Escort, and we started for Belle Plain and we there took steamer for Washington and before evening closed the news had flashed over the wires that Booth was taken. April 26 1865 was the day when God avenged Abraham Lincoln’s death…During the interval of our different Scouts I attended Prayer Meeting one night…I prayed, O Lord, lay not innocent blood to our charger, but bring the guilty speedily to punishment. Afterward when the Assassin lay at my feet, a wounded man, and I saw the bullet had taken effect about an inch back of the ear. And I remembered that Mr. Lincoln was wounded about the same part of the head. I said What a God we serve. I little thought when I offered that prayer a week ago that it would be answered in this way.” Corbett’s statement was displayed at Lincoln’s tomb. A 21″ x 16.5″ single-page document. Water, cello tape stains, toning. Matted. Good. Sold for $28,500.
To auction, buy, consign or sell a Boston Corbett autograph or a Boston Corbett autograph letter signed, please see http://www.NateDSanders.com, contact [email protected] or call (310) 440-2982.