FROM J.F. KREPS TO “DEAR WIFE AND CHILDREN.” Dated “Louisville, May 13^th 1863.”  2 pp. in ink on lined blue “Hotel Louisville” letterhead paper, 7.5. 9.75.” Exhibits fold-marks and slight ink bleeding through, while remaining entirely legible. Else VG. In protective sleeve. Accompanied by documentation.

Appointed by Gov. Curtin as a commissioner of Pennsylvania regiments, Kreps writes to his wife while en route to visit Gen. Rosecrans Army in Tennessee. Excerpts as follow:

“I called at the Provost Marshall in Pittsburg and found no difficulty whatever in obtaining transportation, but I found it quite different here, the military authorities do not seem to pay such attention to Gov. Curtin. I called with Col Muney and found that Gen. Rosecrans had forbid the issue of any army passes except to such persons as lived south of Louisville and were returning home …the rules are becoming more stringent every day…

Everything thing here looks so military that I really feel a little nervous and there is some danger in travelling between here and Nashville…Mr. Mr. Prather told me that Joseph and Daniel Snively were forced into the rebel army and that one of them was dead. If I have to remain here I will go to see them.”

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Born in 1806 in Lebanon, PA, J.F. Kreps established himself in Greencastle as an enterprising farmer and businessman, moving to West Newton/ Rostraver Township. An ardent Union patriot, Kreps raised troops and money, and served as a civilian Pennsylvania regimental commissioner, spending two months in that capacity visiting PA regiments serving with Gen. Rosecrans’ army at Stones River, TN, in late spring/early summer 1863; also visiting PA Army of the Potomac units in 1864.

He also contributed five sons to the Union army—John, Francis, Adam, William and David Dempsey (with John, Francis and Adam serving as officers), in five different regiments, all of whom would survive, though son John would be severely wounded at Liberty Gap, TN, and son Frank, captured at Chickamauga, would spend 14 months in various Confederate prisons before making an heroic and hair-raising escape from Columbia, S.C., in 1864.

The bulk of the letters in this first family grouping (27 letters dating from August 7, 1861 to July 1864) are from J.F. Kreps to son Adam (15^th PA Cavalry, 67^th Regt. U.S.C.T., 92^nd Regt. U.S.C.T. Also letters to son Frank (77^th PA Infy) and son George, and six to wife Eliza, most of which were written during J.F. Kreps tour of General Rosecrans’ army. Subsequent groups contain letters home from sons Adam, William, John and David Dempsey. Taken as a whole, the Kreps letters present a valuable and fascinating picture of the coming and goings of an American family at war.   [JP]

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