FROM J.F. KREPS TO WIFE. Dated “Camp near Murfreesboro / Wednesday June 17^th 1863.” 6 pp., in ink on lined paper. 7.75 x 9.75”. Exhibits fold-marks. Else VG. In protective sleeve. Accompanied by documentation.

In this letter Pennsylvania regimental commissioner Kreps concludes his visit with Gen. Rosecrans western army, while making reference to new of the rebel advance in the Keystone state that will culminate in the Battle of Gettysburg. Excerpts as follows:

“The news from Pennsylvania yesterday and today looks very gloomy & discouraging. It seems as if the Cumberland Valley is invaded, and a large force of cavalry at Cumberland, Maryland. It makes me feel as if I should be home, but I will not leave for a few days yet…but I fear if my stay is much prolonged my health would be perhaps endangered, as the weather is becoming quite warm, the thermometer yesterday stood at 92 or 93 in the shade…

Yesterday Gen. Negley sent an orderly with horse for me to come witness a drill of te 14^th Army Corps [under Gen. Thomas]…the troops all look well but none excel the 78^th & 79^th Pennsylvania…There is talk of paying of the Anderson Troops [his son Adam’s 15^th PA Cavalry], but I hardly believe they will be paid off before I leave, I would be very glad if they would.

Since I last wrote I have made a visit to the hospital and Field convalescent camp. I had seen everything that could be seen in the different camps…but needed this visit to complete my personal observations…while passing along I seen coming from the dead house two men bearing the dead body of one who had just died, and he was carried along unattended to the dead house. Certainly this is a terrible retribution awaits the originators of this war.”

Kreps reports Gen Rosecrans telling him that “mild measures could never be successful, that a tiger could never be tamed…they would be destroyed and the bondsmen would be delivered…”

Among the Pennsylvania troops Kreps meets a “Col. Humbright” and others among them who are “rather pleased at the invasion of Pennsylvania. They think it will bring Pennsylvania to its senses. Humbright said there was a hundred thousand men in Pennsylvania who had as good a right to be in this war as he and his regiment, but they at home cared little about it, and he thought a little experience of the realities would bring them to their senses. This may be so,” Kreps concludes, “but I do not admire Pennsylvania being made the seat of war.”

And much more. A superb letter from an observing Pennsylvania regimental commissioner.

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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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