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(MEXICAN WAR.) SMEAD, RAPHAEL C. Important archive of material, including letters and diaries, relating to the Mexican War service of Raphael C. Smead, the Captain of Company D of the 4th Artillery. Includes 4 diaries written between 1845-48, over 60 letters written home to his wife from Texas and Mexico from the same time period, an 1845 daguerreotype portrait, an 1847 printed battle map of the region, all of his commissions signed by Presidents John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, and James K. Polk, his diploma from West Point, his orders to report to Corpus Christi, his dress uniform jacket complete with epaulets in the original box, a pair of Mexican-made spurs and much more related material. Format and condition vary. Vp, vd
(MEXICAN WAR.) SMEAD, RAPHAEL C. Important archive of material, including letters and diaries, relating to the Mexican War service of Raphael C. Smead, the Captain of Company D of the 4th Artillery. Includes 4 diaries written between 1845-48, over 60 letters written home to his wife from Texas and Mexico from the same time period, an 1845 daguerreotype portrait, an 1847 printed battle map of the region, all of his commissions signed by Presidents John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, and James K. Polk, his diploma from West Point, his orders to report to Corpus Christi, his dress uniform jacket complete with epaulets in the original box, a pair of Mexican-made spurs and much more related material. Format and condition vary. Vp, vd
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Notes: an amazing archive of material from a mexican war artillery officer with battle descriptions of palo alto, monterey and vera cruz.
Raphael C. Smead (1802-48) graduated from West Point in 1821, served as an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the military academy, and was commissioned a 1st Lieutenant for service in the Florida War. Stationed at Fort Monroe in 1845 (where he kept a diary present in this archive), Smead received his Captain's commission and orders to report to Corpus Christi to command a company in the 4th Artillery of the 1st Brigade. The archive includes 11 letters written from Corpus Christi, dated 15 October 1845 to 4 March 1846, which details life in Zachary Taylor's Army of Occupation. Among Smead's biggest concerns is the controversy over the brevet ranking system, which led to General Worth's temporary resignation. Included in the archive is a draft of a letter, apparently written by Smead, sent to President Polk concerning the situation. Also included in these letters from Corpus Christi are details on the organization of the army, the publication of the Corpus Christi Gazette, the court martial of an officer named Morris, rumors concerning the impending war and the Mexican army's movements and a general depiction of life in camp with much drinking and gambling.
On 21 March 1846, Smead's regiment begins its march into Mexico and he writes a lengthy letter, written in the style of diary entries, detailing the march along Taylor's Trail and the crossing of the Arroyo Colorado. The archive includes 12 letters written from Matamoros or Point Isabel, just prior to and after the Battle of Palo Alto. Smead gives a very detailed account of that 2-day battle in a 10 May letter to his wife and a 12 May letter to his father-in-law. After a brief occupation of Matamoros, Smead's regiment is sent via steamboat to Camargo to begin an inland campaign headed toward Monterey. This marks the point in which Smead began the second diary in the archive, detailing the march from Camargo to Serabro to Monterey and the ensuing battle in September 1846. In addition, there are 4 letters written during the march, a letter written during the battle describing the action in great detail and 2 letters written during the occupation of the city. Both the descriptions in the diary and the letters provide a vivid picture of the Battle of Monterey.
After a few weeks in Monterey, Smead's regiment marches onto Saltillo, taking that town with little resistance. The archive contains 4 letters from Saltillo as well as diary entries during the march and occupation. By mid-January 1847, Smead is on the move again, this time back through Monterey to Camargo and down the Rio Grande to Camp Palo Alto, where forces are assembling for a voyage to sail down the coast to assault the Mexican stronghold at Vera Cruz. While on board the transport Henry near Lobos Island, Smead reports to his wife the news of Taylor's victory over Santa Anna at the Battle of Buena Vista. His next letter details the landing at Vera Cruz, the massive bombardment of the town and castle, and the capitulation.
After the Battle of Vera Cruz, Smead is assigned to recruiting service for the artillery regiment and is sent back to Carlisle, PA. After a year of signing new recruits, detailed in the third diary in this archive, he returns to Mexico. Arriving at Vera Cruz soon after the fall of Mexico City, the remainder of his service is spent stationed at Toluca. The letters and diary entries from this time period include interesting descriptions of Mexico City as well as the political debates within the Mexican Congress over the ratification of the peace treaty. In addition, many of the letters to his wife concern the court of inquiry into Scott and Pillow. Tragically, after surviving his service, Smead contracts yellow fever on board his transport to New Orleans and dies shortly thereafter. Included in the archive is the official notice of his death.
Diaries and letters from the Mexican War are far more uncommon than the Civil War or other 19th century American engagements. This seems largely due to the smaller size of the army in the conflict, in conjunction with the difficulties faced by most soldiers in mailing letters and keeping personal objects on the numerous overland marches of the campaign. Besides the impressive paper material in this collection, there is a lovely sixth plate gold-toned daguerreotype portrait of Smead in uniform, taken according to a diary entry while serving at Fort Monroe in 1845. In addition, the archive contains a similar portrait of his wife, a lock of hair presumably from Smead, as well as a pair of glasses. Other non-paper material includes his dress uniform jacket with the epaulets, both in remarkably fine condition, a metal canteen and pair of Mexican-made spurs from his service in the war.
A more detailed inventory of the collection is available upon request, as well as a complete listing of the contents of the letters and diaries.
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May 12, 2005 12:00 AM EDT
New York, NY, US
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