When and where to go barefoot

[Beanbomb]

I believe it is generally accepted that the idea that the Confederate army could not supply enough shoes is exaggerated. However, it was certainly the reality for some soldiers. I have spent some hours searching the web for articles and brief studies on "barefoot Confederates", as well as original accounts, and have found lots of useful information. However what I found did not go into the level of detail that I am looking for. I am trying to find some kind of extensive study on the shoe situation for the Confederate army, specifically what units suffered from shoe shortages the most, when these shortages were the worst, and where, as well as the severity of the shortage. Any information is greatly appreciated.


(If a similar topic has already been discussed on the forums, I apologize as I was unable to find anything with a search).

[thomas aagaard]

Re: When and where to go barefoot

When the OP or other wartime source tell us that your specific unit had issues.
And this goes for both US and CS units.
(the OR tell us that some union unit had shoe less soldiers before the battle of Gettysburg)

And not when some veteran 30+ after the war tell us that he didn't have any shoes for 4 years...

[mike44thva]

Re: When and where to go barefoot

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?39987-Barefoot-Soldiers&highlight=hide+shoes

[Jimmayo]

Re: When and where to go barefoot

Some soldiers grew up not wearing shoes all the time. Going barefoot was a rite of summer and their feet were used to it. I have read accounts of soldiers taking off their shoes during a march and wearing them around their neck. However, IMO nothing looks worse than seeing someone trying to imitate a bare foot soldier with lilly white feet. If you choose to go that route really get those feet tanned and nasty.

As a side note I have a letter where the soldier writes home and says he is bare footed. I got the impression that he was going without socks.

[Tyler Underwood]

Re: When and where to go barefoot

Not that it would be much help, but 26 men of the 23rd Tenn. Were sent to the rear just before the assault on Reeds Bridge at Chickamauga.

[50thGAInfantry]

Re: When and where to go barefoot

Tom Arliskas' book Cadet Gray and Butternut Brown goes into great detail about shoe shortages in the southern armies. Can't recall any specifics at the moment except for a newspaper article in the Savannah Republican of a Georgia soldier writing home about the chronic and desperate shortage of his ANV unit having no shoes at all.

[Matthew Joe Mallory]

Re: When and where to go barefoot

"Regimental History of the 35th Alabama Infantry Regiment" by Leroy F. Banning (of the regiment) tells of how some of them went without at times. First mention (the one I remember), states that until somewhere in August of 1862, about 30% of the men were without shoes. It mentions the situation a couple more times through-out the book.

[LeatherHead]

Re: When and where to go barefoot

Wow! Spencer rifle. What info is there for this pic?

Dean Nelson
1st Maryland Infantry, CSA, N-SSA

[WV_Reb]

Re: When and where to go barefoot

In my experience, the vast majority of reenactors don't often go barefoot for the simple fact that if one does not often go barefoot, the feet will look far too pale and smooth. If you don't normally go barefoot, your feet won't look right, as they will be too white and uncalloused. It will just look like you decided to take your shoes off, not like you are a soldier who is on campaign and barefoot due to supply shortages. Just my 2 cents.

[Dreamer42]

Re: When and where to go barefoot

Out of necessity. Wooden pegs gave out in the mud at Banks Grand Retreat. I was "captured" in the process of trying to make minor field repairs and finished the last few miles in this condition. The weather was pleasant and wasn't that bad.

[4vaadjutant]

Re: When and where to go barefoot

This thread started asking about how frequently soldiers actually were barefooted with the suggestion that accounts of this destitute condition were perhaps exaggerated. From my years of research of the Army of Northern Virginia, it seems to have been a persistent problem throughout the war. Sometimes, such as during the 1862 Campaign that ended with the Battle of Sharpsburg, it is well documented the problem was so bad that the army’s ability to fight was seriously impaired. It is estimated that Lee’s Army had about 65,000 men that marched from Frederick, Maryland, but only about 35,500 were actually present for duty less than two weeks later at the battle on September 17. (In another recent thread about the battle someone questioned that figure, suggesting Lee actually had something closer to 50-55,000 men. The lower number I cite is generally recognized by most reputable historians.) The fall off is due to several factors with a lack of shoes being significant according to several sources. For instance, JEB Stuart and William Blackford of his staff slept in a haystack near the Dunker Church the night before the battle, and when they awoke on the morning of the battle they discovered that men of Hood’s Division had moved into their area during the night and they were cooking rations. The two cavalry officers particularly noted the large number of men who were barefooted. In the fighting on the 17th Lee’s Army suffered about 11,000 casualties, but in the evening following the battle it is recorded that about 6000 stragglers caught up to the army and rejoined their units. About three weeks after the battle the numbers of soldiers in the army had swelled to about 60,000 men as stragglers, convalescents and new recruits filled the ranks. It is documented that the men suffered from deficient clothing, especially shoes. I recently read an account by one observer who noted the continued lack of foot gear in the ranks of Jackson’s Corps when it left the Shenandoah Valley for Fredericksburg in early November, 1862, about seven weeks after the battle. It should be noted that a lack of shoes was not experienced only by the Confederates. For instance, Union General Shields reported the lack of shoes was very problematic for his division as it marched from Front Royal to Port Republic, where it was defeated by brigades from the divisions of Jackson and Ewell. I am not aware of any specific study of the challenges of supplying shoes to the soldiers during the war, but I have encountered enough anecdotal references to the issue to recognize it to have been a logistical problem of supply.

When presenting an impression of an event at which it can be ascertained that some of the soldiers were barefoot, it can be quite impressive to spectators if some of the men are without shoes. Many years ago Medich’s Battalion provided an interpretation of men of Hood’s Division around the Dunker Church for the National Park Service at the Antietam National Battlefield Park. When the rangers were told we would have over 100 men, they balked because they did not believe there would be enough camping space for us around the church. I asked one of their historians if Hood’s men had tents and camp conveniences, to which he said “No.” I told him that we would not either. Without camp impediments we slept under the stars and had plenty of space. We did our programs in the field east of the visitor’s center and I was asked by the NPS folks to provide the narration. As our men marched into position the spectators noticed that about 20% of the ragged Rebels were barefoot! That allowed me to comment about the uniforms, shoes and equipment of the Confederate soldiers being quite deficient at that time, and that they suffered from under-nutrition and malnutrition because of an inefficient commissary department. The bare feet were unexpected and caught the attention of the spectators, who then were interested in learning more from the rest of the narrative.

If anyone is aware of any study of supplying soldiers with shoes, I would be interested in seeing it. Absent a study, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence of shoe shortages.

Tom Williams
4th Virginia Infantry
Indianapolis

Proprietor, Adjutant Supply Company

[thomas aagaard]

Re: When and where to go barefoot

, but only about 35,500 were actually present for duty

You (and some historians) are confusing "present for duty" with Lee's use of "effectives"
And the result is that you are trying to compare apples with oranges.

PFD include everyone, both privates on the firing lines, officers, men in the artillery and cavalry, men driving wagons, helping at fields hospitals.
This is the number used by the AoP until Burnside got command.

Lee used "effectives" when counting. That number only count the rank and file holding a rifle. Not officers, not artillery men, and no one doing support jobs with the army.

Lee likely only have had 35.000 effective at the start of the battle. (then AP Hill came up with about 3900)
So that give us a number of about 40.000. But that is not the total size of the army.

You still need to add officers, men in the artillery, cavalry, men driving wagons and so on.
Even if we just add the artillery and cavalry that is still another 7000 men.

The result is that Lee had 50.000+ humans in his army... present at the battlefield.

So when Lee wrote in his report that "his great battle was fought by less than 40,000 men on our side" he is not wrong... he is just using a specific military definition of "men".


-----------
Now to the issue of shoes. If one read in the OR there are plenty of mentions of this issue... on both sides.
Before the battle at Gettysburg, some union units was lacking shoes. And after the battle it is mentioned by both sides.

This book might be of interest to you.

https://www.amazon.com/Never-Rags-1-East/dp/0854205667

It is more about clothing than shoes... but still.

There is a topic about it on civil war talk that can be found here:

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/new-confederate-uniform-book-never-in-rags.127044/

(and yes, the title is meant to provoke...)