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Kreps, Adam T.

[Letters of a commander of U.S. Colored Troops, 1865–1866.]

Port Hudson and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 18 Aug. 1865–28 Oct. 1865. 8 letters, 8vo (8” x 10”). 30 pp. of manuscript, 1 p. printed ordnance form completed in manuscript.

A group of eight letters by an officer commanding two companies of African-American troops in Union-occupied Port Hudson and Baton Rouge, Louisiana in the immediate post-Civil War period.

Born in Greencastle, Pennsylvania, Adam T. Kreps (1842–1919) was mustered into the army as a member of the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry. In 1864, Kreps served with the 92nd U.S. Colored Troops, which took part in the Red River Campaign from March to May 1864. In the immediate post-war period, Kreps served at Port Hudson, Louisiana as a first lieutenant in the 67th U.S. Colored Troops. He was mustered out in December of 1865. The great Confederate fort of Port Hudson was captured in 1863, and afterwards became an important military and commercial hub in the Baton Rouge area.

Included here are eight letters from Kreps to his father, seven from Port Hudson and one from Baton Rouge, offering an intimate look at the military life of a white officer and the African-American soldiers serving under him. At the time the letters were written Kreps was in command of Companies E and H of the 67th U.S. Colored Troops, which was organized in March of 1864 from the 3rd Missouri Colored Infantry and transferred to Port Hudson. The 67th remained in Louisiana until June 1865, following which it was mustered out. His letters cover the role enslaved African-Americans played in the south; witnessing the unusual punishment and discharge of a black soldier; arriving at Port Hudson; his failed attempts to be mustered out; the breaking-up and dispersal of the 65th U.S. Colored Troops (to the soldier’s great displeasure); the comings and goings of various high-ranking officers; the “order from the War Dept. to muster out all colored troops raised in Northern states”; the anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation; a dinner the black soldiers prepare for an officer; reflections on southern planters, the beginning of Reconstruction and sharecropping, and more.

SOME REPRESENTATIVE PASSAGES:

Baton Rouge, LA; 18 Aug. 1865 “My application for muster out has been disapproved. I suppose there will be no chance of me getting out of the service now. I think of home very often and sometimes think I will go and resign and get there in spite of everything and then the thought comes—what will you do when you get there, for I know I have no business to get at and not ever having depended on my own resources, I often feel fearful of commencing life, as one may say.”

“I have been of the opinion that there is more money to be made in the South than there is in the North. Land will sell for little or nothing, for the great majority of the planters are entirely ruined and will be compelled to sell out. Their riches consisted in the Slaves and the land was looked on as nothing compared to the blacks. […] It is very seldom you come across Planters who have laid up much money as they always lived above their income. It was a very common practice in this state to barter the crops off to raise cash ahead and there are plenty of cases where the crops were sold three years ahead just to raise money for their want at that time.”

“I saw a man drummed out of the service a few days since. He belonged to the 65th Regt. I never saw a man punished this way before. The prisoner had the hair shaved off of both sides of his head, leaving a strip on the top about an inch wide and running from the forehead back as far as the hair goes. He was first brought out in front of the regiment escort by a guard in front and also the guard in front of them walked at reverse arms. Those in the rear at a charge bayonets and the Regiment Band followed in rear of the Guard playing the Rogue’s March.”

Port Hudson, LA; 11 Aug. 1865 “I have never been more busy in all my life than within the last few weeks [with] preparations for consolidation with the 65th USCT. The consolidation was effected on the 15th. The whole of my company was transferred with me. We had to lay in Baton Rouge, La., a few days before getting transportation. We arrived here [Port Hudson] last Saturday and my company was all broken up and transferred to eight different companies. The boys did not like it at all as they had been together so long that it was like breaking up a family. … There are two other officers of my regiment transferred here. Lieut. Col. H. E. Losey and Lt. Wickersham, so I will not be or am not left quite alone. I think I shall like the officers here very well as they seem to be a very sociable set of men.”

Port Hudson, LA; 25 Aug. 1865 “I am now in command of my Company, Co. E. The Capt. is on special duty commanding the Provost Guard. I think I shall get along very well here. The Capt. seems to be a very nice man. The officers generally are not as good society as those of my old Regiment. They seem to be a rougher set of men. The Regiment is larger than the 67th and I think they are men of better constitutions than my old Regt. At least they are healthier. One great reason is that this Regt. was raised in this state [Louisiana] and all the men are acclimated. […] We expect to be filled up to a thousand strong in a short time. There was fifty men received yesterday and my company numbered forty-nine which brings the Regt. up to 700 enlisted men.”

“This post is commanded by the Col. of my Regt. Frisbee is his name. Gen. Hamlin left a few days since under orders to report by letter to the Adjt. Gen. of the Army from his home in Maine which is about the same thing as a muster out of service. I have seen notices of a good many Generals lately who have been thus ordered and it seems as if the Government intends to get rid of all such incubuses as soon as possible as there is nothing now for them to do, and each one costs U. Sam about $400 per month. […] All the Planters who have cotton in are now very busy having it picked. The crop is very good but there is so little put in that there will not be much for market in comparison to former years.”

Port Hudson; 31 Aug. 1865 “There are very few Officers in the regt. for duty. The majority of them are on detached service which makes the duty a great deal harder on those who are present.”

Port Hudson; 18 Sept. 1865 “The 65th USCT has received orders to be mustered out. They come under the head of Regts. Of Northern states, and there is a late order from the War Dept. to muster out all colored troops raised in Northern states. […] There is to be a review of all the troops at the post and a salute fired on the 22nd of this month [September], it being the anniversary the Proclamation freeing the slaves.”

Port Hudson; 30 Sept. 1865 “During the last week I have been on duty in a General Court Martial. The cases tried have all been from the fourth U.S.C Cavalry and have been principally for desertion. We do not expect to meet next week on account of the absence of the Judge Advocate.”

Port Hudson; 8 Oct. 1865 “There is a man detailed to bring the mail from N. Orleans twice a week. There is no regular mail station [at Port Hudson], and so we have to depend on a man detailed from Post Hd. Quarters. […] I do not think a person gains strength in this climate (after being sick) as fast as in the North. [During a recent illness Kreps went from his normal weight of 145 pounds down to 117 and struggled to recover.] This is the most unhealthy season of [the] year [October]. There is more sickness among the officers of the Regt. than ever known before. There is not very much sickness among the men. This always has been a very healthy Regiment.”

“This is a very busy time for the Planters (those who have a crop of cotton) getting the cotton picked and ready for market. The cotton worm has done a great deal of damage this year. . .. I saw quite a number of wagons come in last week loaded with new cotton. I do not think there is anything that pays better than cotton raising, as it is worth about $200 per bale at the present time, and good land will bring a bale to the acre.”

“There was quite a lively time here yesterday. The Negroes around through the country have for the last two or three weeks been preparing a dinner for the Colonel of the Regt. All the officers at the post were invited to attend and yesterday the dinner was got up. You would have been surprised to have seen the table. I think it equaled any table I ever saw. A person would not hardly suppose the darkies could have done so well. The darkies think there is no such man in the land as Col. [Henry N.] Frisbie.”

Port Hudson; 16 Oct. 1865 “The Paymaster paid us off last week. The regt. got 4 months’ pay. I got 7 months. I sent $700 to Baton Rouge with one of our officers to have it expressed to you. I have [also] one hundred dollars in 7.30 bonds and 2 one hundred dollar compound interest notes which I shall send you after a while. … I think Adams Express Co. is a swindling concern. They charged me $14.00 for sending my money.”

Port Hudson; 28 Oct. 1865 “I have had charge of Co. H. for the last two months, but I was not responsible for the property. I did not draw the extra pay although I had all the work to do. … Father, I believe if all our family were in some of the Southern States, say Alabama or Mississippi, we could make five times what we could in the North. Northern people will be able to make a great deal more here than the Old Settlers as the Negroes have confidence in the former and will work for them better, while they have not in the latter.”

“I have thought very strongly of staying in the South for a year or so if I can get Frank [his brother] to stay. I know of two cases where officers of our Regiment have been offered five thousand dollars a year just to superintend a large plantation. The reason of this is that the citizens are afraid of the negros and cannot get them to work.”

“I think we will be mustered out of the service in the course of two months as by Gen. Grant’s late order only enough Negro troops are to be retained to garrison the Sea Coast forts south of Fort Monroe (with two exceptions, Forts Jefferson and Taylor) and that will not take more than one-sixth.”

REFERENCES: Dyer, Frederick A., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, Vol. 3. via civilwardata.org

CONDITION: Old folds, usual wear; no significant defects.

Item #6281

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