Creps, Martin

Martin Creps

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Significance:

Company G, 13th Michigan Infantry

Date of Birth:

1821

Place of Death:

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Date of Death:

January 1, 1863

Place of Burial:

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Cemetery Name:

Stones River National Cemetery

Martin Creps was born in 1821 in Jackson, Michigan. He enlisted on December 29, 1861, at Jackson, Michigan as a private. He mustered in with Company G of the 13th Michigan infantry on January 17, 1862. 

The 13th Michigan was organized and mustered in Kalamazoo, Michigan. After their organization, they left Michigan and headed for Nashville, Tennessee. They then went to Savannah, Tennessee and were attached to the Army of Tennessee. They fought at the battle of Shiloh and participated in Nelson’s Crossroads before marching back to Nashville, Tennessee. They remained in Nashville until December 1862. 

On December 26, 1862, the 13th Michigan was ordered south to Murfreesboro in pursuit of Bragg. Along with the Army of Tennessee, they embarked on a four-day journey to Murfreesboro. They arrived in Murfreesboro on December 30th and began to prepare for the fighting to come. The 13th Michigan, part of Harker’s brigade, was initially positioned just north of the Nashville Pike. 

At 6am on December 31st, the Confederate forces in the area began their attack. They targeted the Union’s right flank and began to push them back. The 13th Michigan remained in their position near the Nashville Pike as the battle raged on to their right. It wasn’t until 9am that they moved to cross the Nashville Pike to take a new position along Asbury Lane. 

At 10am, they made contact with the Confederates who had been fighting since 6am. They were able to push back against the oncoming attacks, however after about three hours of holding that position, they were eventually pushed back along with other Union troops in the area. It was during this fighting on December 31st that Private Creps was mortally wounded. He was sent to a regimental field hospital where he later died of his wounds on January 1, 1863. 

Martin Creps is laid to rest in the Stones River National Cemetery in plot K-4435.