Boston Corbett
Boston Corbett | |
|---|---|
Corbett c. 1864–1865 | |
| Birth name | Thomas H. Corbett |
| Nicknames | The Glory to God Man Lincoln's Avenger |
| Born | January 29, 1832 London, England |
| Disappeared | c. May 26, 1888 (aged 56) Neodesha, Kansas, US |
| Died | Unknown |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Service years | 1861–1865 |
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Unit | 12th New York State Militia 16th New York Cavalry Regiment |
| Conflicts | American Civil War |
| Signature | |
Thomas H. "Boston" Corbett (January 29, 1832 – disappeared c. May 26, 1888) was an English-born American soldier and milliner who, on April 26, 1865, killed John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln.
Known for his devout religious beliefs and eccentric behavior, Corbett was reportedly a good soldier and had been a prisoner of war at Andersonville Prison. Corbett shot and mortally wounded Booth when his regiment surrounded the barn that Booth was hiding in on the Garrett Farm in Port Royal, Virginia. The American media and public largely considered Corbett a hero for his actions.
After the Civil War, Corbett drifted around the United States before he was committed to Topeka Asylum for the Insane after being declared insane in 1887. In 1888, he escaped and subsequently disappeared.