J.F. KREPS TO SON LIEUT. ADAM KREPS, CO. “A”, 67^TH REGT. U.S.C.T.,  serving in Louisiana. Dated “West Newton, March 1 1865. [Includes orange cover, post-dated—“West newton / PA”, addressed to “Lieut. Adam Kreps / Co. K / 67^th Regt. U.S.C.T. / Morganzia / Louisiana.”] 2 pp. in ink on lined paper, 8 x 9.75”. Exhibits fold-marks. Else VG and entirely legible. In protective sleeve. Accompanied by documentation.

In this letter father Kreps writes of son Francis, the escaped prisoner now at home, and the honors he has received, and his glorious send off by the town in returning to the army.  Plus news of Sherman and some  moves he has made at home into the oil business. Excerpts as follow:

“Francis left home yesterday for the army again, and it caused a sorrowful time to part with him again. I think I wrote to you that he was appointed Captain, and he expects to be mustered in when he reaches his regiment [77^th PA]…

He was highly honored by the citizens of West Newton. They presented him a sword that cost about 60 dollars. It was presented by Mr. Stroyer in quite a nice speech on our pavement where a large crowd collected together…At the depot…near half the town was present. No officer or soldier ever left this place that was so highly honored…

You have of course heard of Sherman’s March through the Carolinas…I have no doubt that he is making his way surely toward Richmond…

I have invested money in three different oil companies and have good hopes for success…”

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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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