MAY 1864 SOLDIER LETTER—PRIVATE ADAM KREPS, CO. A, 67TH US COLORED TROOPS, TO A BROTHER

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Item Code: 945-423

Dated “Port Hudson May 11/12, 1864”. Addressed to one of his brothers. 3 pp. on lined paper, 5 x 8”. Exhibits fold-marks, & light soiling along blank rear page fold-lines. Else VG. In protective sleeve.

Note: Adam Kreps served in three regiments, mustering as private in “F”, 15th PA Cavalry, 8/22/1862, then transferring with Lieutenant’s commission into Co. “A”, 67th Regt. U.S.C.T., then transferring again into Co. “E”, 92nd 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 Lieut. Kreps reports rumors of rebel movements and shifting of regimental camp site. Excerpts as follow:

“There is rumors that Gen. Polk (the Bishop) is marching with an army of 20,000 men. I do not believe he would attack us if he were to come in this vicinity as it would not be very healthy…There is 75 pieces of artillery mounted on the works some of which are very large. They are mostly rebel guns. There is no news from Banks army. We were apprehensive that his army would be destroyed as he was forced to retire on Alexandria

We are now camped in a different place…We are right now on the bluffs of the River. It is a very good camp with a breeze blowing all the time which makes it very pleasant…I hear the Army of the Potomac has moved…on their success depends any chance of me transferred… I am still in command of my company…If I am not relieved I shall put in for Captain…”

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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 (15th PA Cavalry, 67th Regt. U.S.C.T., 92nd Regt. U.S.C.T. Also letters to son Frank (77th 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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