J.F. KREPS TO SON LIEUT. ADAM KREPS, CO. “A”, 67^TH REGT. U.S.C.T., serving in Louisiana. Dated “West Newton, Dec.30, 1864.” 2 pp. in ink on unlined paper, 5 x 8”. Exhibits fold-marks and lightly smudged ink on reverse page. In protective sleeve. Accompanied by documentation.

In this letter father Kreps writes about the astonishing escape and return home of his son Francis after 15 months in rebel prisons. Excerpts as follows:

“I wrote you a letter a few days ago and have not had much to write about now new but what news I have is of the very best kind. I received a telegraph dispatch this morning informing me that Francis is now safe and well in Washington and would be home in a few days. Oh! But our hearts were made glad, he had made his escape 8 to 10 weeks ago & thus has been wandering all this time, but he is safe. Bless the lord.

We have not heard from Dempsey or Will and feel very uneasy about them, but hope for the best. It is likely that in consequence of the pursuit of Hood that they may not have had the opportunity…”

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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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