Caleb Blood Smith and Charles William Spooner papers

Personal, political, and business correspondence of Caleb Blood Smith, chiefly letters addressed to him. The bulk of the correspondence covers his tenure as the Secretary of the Interior and U.S. Judge, with material relating to other aspects of Smith's legal and political career. The letters discuss the state of the Republican Party in Indiana, slavery and abolitionism, national politics, Indian affairs, war news, and requests for political patronage. Correspondents include Cassius Marcellus Clay, William Sprague, Frederick William Seward, Richard Wigginton Thompson, and others. There is also a draft of Smith's speech on the role of oratory in the government, which he gave in 1862. Also included are items related to Smith's death, including a copy of President Lincoln's "Order of Condolence" and letters of condolence, real estate and railroad lands, and Masonic papers and certificates. Also included are personal and professional correspondence of Walton John Smith and letters addressed to Smith's wife Elizabeth Walton Smith in response to her 1862 campaign to raise funds for a Christmas dinner for wounded soldiers in Washington, D.C. hospitals. Military papers and personal correspondence of Charles William Spooner. The collection contains a letter book with copies of communications, orders, accounts, received and sent by Spooner during his service aboard the Reindeer. The letter book also contains a roster of the crew and copies of Spooner's post-war official correspondence. Also included are descriptive lists and muster rolls of the Reindeer, some Navy instructions, and newspaper clippings and hand drawn maps dealing with Morgan's Raid. The post-war portion of Spooner's material deals chiefly with his European travels, language and law studies, legal practice, and membership in veterans' organizations. A large portion of his correspondence is in German and French. There are some materials of William L. Spooner. The collection contains a substantial amount of Civil War newspaper clippings.