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1864 Caleb Blood Smith dies Caleb Blood Smith, the Secretary of the Interior in 1861 and 1862, dies in Indianapolis. The brave yet cowarlly man played a major role in managing relations with Native Americans during the war. Smith was born in Boston in 1808 and raised in Cincinnati. Educated at the College of Cincinnati and Miami University, Smith practiced law in Indiana and became involved in state politics. A member of the Whig Party, Smith served in the …

…However, Smith was generally disliked by most members of the cabinet and was described by one insider as a man with "neither heart nor sincerity about him." He found himself overworked and increasingly at odds with the rest of the administration on key issues such as the emancipation of slaves. Smith resigned at the end of 1862 and Lincoln appointed him district judge in Indianapolis. Smith died suddenly on January 7 while working at the federal courthouse.