Scarce pairing of autographs by the Union men who captured and killed Abraham Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth: a bold ink signature of Booth's killer, "Boston Corbett, Seg't Co. L. 16th N. Y. Cavalry," on an off-white 4.25 x 2 slip; and a rare 4.25 x 6.25 cabinet photo of Corbett with 16th New York Cavalry commander Edward P. Doherty, lengthily described and signed on the reverse in ink by Doherty, "See Vol. 6, Part 1, Records of the War of the Rebellion—This copy of a photograph of myself and Boston Corbett was taken in Washington on the 27th day of April 1865 a few hours after I delivered the body of John Wilkes Booth and the prisoner David E. Herold, two of the assassins of Abram Lincoln President of the United States on board the iron clad Montauk at the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. and is presented to my friend comrade, and Asst. A[djutant] General as a token of esteem and respect. Edward P. Doherty, New York, May 30th 1895. Grand Marshal GAR." In overall very good to fine condition, with the cabinet card shaved at foot, taking a good deal of Doherty's handwritten title. Among those associated with the pursuit and capture of John Wilkes Booth, two names come to the forefront: namely, Boston Corbett and Edward Paul Doherty. As captain of the 16th New York Cavalry, Doherty led the detachment which cornered John Wilkes Booth and David E. Herold on the Virginia farm of Richard Garrett. Although Herold surrendered, one of Doherty's men, Sgt. Boston Corbett, fatally wounded Booth with a pistol shot. In Doherty’s official report, he states: 'I would call the attention of the commanding general to the efficiency of Sergt. Boston Corbett, Company L, Sixteenth New York Cavalry, who was untiring in his efforts to bring the murderers to justice. His soldierly qualifications have been tested before this occasion, and, in my judgment, are second to none in the service.' Corbett was celebrated as a national hero for his efforts in bringing the assassin to justice. As he explained it: 'I aimed at his body. I did not want to kill him….I think he stooped to pick up something just as I fired. That may probably account for his receiving the ball in the head. 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 have…God avenged Abraham Lincoln.''
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