Patrolman

Henry Corbett

Accident
End of Watch July 13, 1868
Age 38
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
The Vigil Panel 3 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Henry Corbett drowned in the North River while attempting to rescue a 14-year-old girl who had just fallen overboard from a barge attached to the steamer "Seth Low." The ship tried to dock the party excursion barge at 152nd Street so the passengers could disembark. Patrolman Corbett was assisting the passengers off the barge when the steamer pulled away from the dock, causing him and several passengers to fall in. Patrolman Corbett"s body was recovered near 96th Street several days later. The girl he was attempting to rescue also drowned. The captain of the "Seth Low" was held on charges of criminal neglect. Patrolman Corbett had served with the Metropolitan Police Force for eight years and was assigned to the 32nd Precinct of the Metropolitan Police Force, an area now covered by the 30th Precinct of the New York City Police Department.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and five children.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

158 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Corbett gave the New York Metropolitan Police Force 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Police Department
Location New York, NY
Platform Identity nympd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 13, 1868
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
Age 38
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Henry is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1868, 2 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 159th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Henry was 38. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Henry had served 8 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

July holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Mondays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

New York Metropolitan Police Force has 22 officers remembered here, Henry among them.

VI

Where

Patrolman Henry Corbett

New York Metropolitan Police Force · End of Watch July 13, 1868

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 20-E

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