Dated “Hospital 14, Nashville, April 12^th 1863.” Addressed to “Mother and Father.” 2 pp. in ink on lined paper, 6.75 x 8.25”. Exhibits fold-marks, w/one hole & a sizable chip in the lower margin. In is faded and barely legible. Else poor to fair. In protective sleeve. Accompanied by documentation.

Note: Adam Kreps served in three regiments, mustering first as private in Co. “F”, 15^th PA Cavalry, 8/22/1862, then transferring with a Lieutenant’s commission into Co. “A”, 67^th Regt. U.S.C.T., 2/24/1864, then transferring again into Co. “E”, 92^nd Regt. U.S.C.T., 7/12/1865, mustering out of service, 12/31/1865. He served exclusively in the western theater and with the U.S.C.T. regiment mostly in Louisiana. His correspondence consists of letters to family, primarily his father.

It is obvious—in this barely legible letter—that Adam Kreps health has taken a turn for the worse. “I have had very many pains,” he writes, “in my bowels, stomach and have been troubled a great deal very much with severe pain in my limbs…Yesterday I took a sever attack of diarrhea with very much pain but feel better this morning…”

Shifting to army affairs he states that “there is not much activity in this army. They are still preparing for the campaign that is before them…it will be the greatest of the war. The soldiers have great confidence in their commanders…”

Kreps' health would recover and he would be back with the 15^th PA Cavalry by the time of his father visit—in the capacity of Pennsylvania regimental commissioner—to Rosecrans army in May/June 1863.

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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]  [ph:L]

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