Dated “Port Hudson May 4^th 1864.” Addressed to father, J.F. Kreps. 2 pp. on unlined paper, 7.75 x 9.75. Exhibits fold-marks and light soiling along  front page fold-lines, w/three horizontal tear. Else VG & entirely legible. In protective sleeve.

Note: Adam Kreps served in three regiments, first mustering a private in Co. “F”, 15^th PA Cavalry, 8/22/1862, then transferring with lieutenant’s commission to Co. “A”, 67^th Regt. U.S.C.T. Regt, 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. He correspondence consists of letters to family, primarily his father.

In this letter Lieut. Kreps complains about Port Hudson garrison duty, saying that…”Everything is dry here no excitement at all. Now and then comes a report that we are to be attacked. Where the report originated from no one can tell.” He sketches in Gen. Banks Red River campaign as follows:

“ I suppose you have heard the full particulars of the fight up Red River. The Union army was pretty hard pressed and had to fall back on Alexandria. There was report some days since that the rebels had blown up two or three of our gunboats but I suppose it is all bosh as there is no information of it. The latest report from that section is that Gen. Steele had made a junction with Gen. Banks and that they had attacked a great victory but that needs confirmation also.

Kreps also reports being broke: “We do not expect to be paid off this time and I do not know what to do for I do not have a cent of money, and I am in debt now money I had to borrow for life’s necessities…”

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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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