Dated “Port Hudson April 16^th, 1864. Addressed to father, J.F. Kreps. Exhibits fold-marks and light foxing. Else VG & entirely legible. In protective sleeve.

Note: Adam Kreps served with three regiments, first mustering as private in Co. “F”, 15^th PA Cavalry, 8/22/1862, then transferring with 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 regiments mostly in Louisiana His correspondence consists of letters to family, primarily to his father.

In this letter Kreps comments of the miseries of Port Hudson—“So sickly, nothing to see, no friends or acquaintances but those lately formed.” At the same time—“considering all the difficulties consequent to taking command of a company of negroes I feel I have done very well..”

He then expresses sympathy for his Confederate prisoner brother Frank, adding that “the officers of this Regt. do not expect much sympathy should it be there misfortune to fall into the hands of the rebels. I don’t think you will hear of my capture. (neither will I run)”

He then remarks on his changed feelings toward negroes. To wit: “Since joining the colored service my view changed…I am more favorable toward them than I was. I think if the right plan is pursued with them they will make as good citizens as you will find and I think that these men who have enlisted to fight for their country will have as good a right to have a voice in the ruling of the country as I will I will not stoop to an equality with them in their present condition (to gain their esteem and respect) but I will try to the extent of my power to bring them up to my standard which I think can be done…

Their once being in slavery is the whole cause of their being ignorant, degraded and despised. Father, if though slavery be continued after the end of it I would never lift a hand continuing it. I have men in my company who have laid for months from the effects of the lash and to day are marked and scarred by blows received…

One of my sergeants had his wife at St. Louis. She ran away with him and she is a whiter skinned to day than I am and a fine looking woman. One of my men received a letter today saying that his wife had been whipped for trying to get away. It will be a sorry day for those rebel citizen were these men to get among them again…”

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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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