Camp shoes on the battlefield.

[ThehosGendar]

Gents,

Awhile ago, before the boards exploded, there was a thread about a pair of camp shoes being worn by a dead Confederate soldier in the image "Bodies of Confederate soldiers, killed on July 1, collected near the McPherson woods."




For the past few months, I've been addicted to the high-resolution images on the Library of Congress' website, and I've come across another pair of camp shoes, interestingly, also on the Gettysburg battlefield, but this time among the Federal dead of the III Corps...




...As well as a pair in the image "Dead soldiers in the wheatfield near the Emmittsburg road; another view."




I've been through most of the Antietam death studies, as well as those from Petersburg, and I haven't found any camp shoes. It's curious that they really only appear in battlefield images at Gettysburg.

To me, the most interesting is the discarded shoe in the image of the Federal dead. Was it worn by a Federal, taken off by a Confederate and tossed aside because it clashed with his tastes in fashion? Or, was it worn by a Confederate and replaced with a shoe taken from a fallen Federal?

[tmattimore]

Re: Camp shoes on the battlefield.

If Paul can work a miriacle and bring back the old threads it will help fill this out. Good high res work. As I posted before I have copies of payroll records from Richmond Depot showing thousands of these under construction in May 63. Every photo and surviving example shows that they are all of the same or nearly the same pattern.
Tom Mattimore

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Camp shoes on the battlefield.

Great Photos! Could you post a link to the website?

Best Regards,

[markj]

Re: Camp shoes on the battlefield.

Greetings,

Indeed, "cloth shoes" were apparently a fairly frequent issue item. I posted the following several months ago but here it is again. This is an extract from a deserter notice issued from from "HQRS. JONES' BRIGADE" and dated "Aug. 20th, 1863," which was published in the 8 September 1863 Richmond VA "Semi-Weekly Enquirer." This describes three individuals of the 42nd VA who deserted near Orange C. H. a couple of nights before. I'm sure you'll find the uniform descriptions quite interesting in their own right:

"[Private James] Compton [of Company F] is about 6 feet high, 45 years of age, auburn hair, blue eyes, dark complexion, thin visage, and rather rough features; had on when he left blue army pants, pale checked shirt, black wool hat and CLOTH SHOES [emphasis mine].
[Private G.?] O. Gregory [of Company F] is about 27 years old, dark hair, red goatee and moustache, hazel eyes, red complexion and rather fleshy; had on when he left grey jacket and pants, white wool hat and CLOTH SHOES.
[Private Samuel H.] Peay [of Company F] is about 6 feet high 28 years old, auburn hair, blue eyes, pale complexion; had on when he left grey jacket and pants, broad brim straw hat covered with black cloth, and CLOTH SHOES.
***Information must be forwarded to the commanding officer of Jones' Brigade, Johson's Division, 2d Corps, A. N. Va."

Given that all three of the above men were from the same company ("F") this suggests that a significant number of men in that company were also wearing cloth shoes.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[Tom Craig]

Re: Camp shoes on the battlefield.

Greetings,

The connection between G-burg and "camp shoes" is interesting. In the regimental history of the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry there is a story about camp shoes on the way to G-burg that goes something like this...

The 1st Mass. was marching north toward the middle of June, shortly after the sutlers had been ordered away from the army to prepare for the coming campaign. Genl. Patrick, chief of the Provost happened to be riding near the regiment when ha spotted a sutler wagon blocking the road. He enquired who the regiment was, and then called out "1st Massachusetts, go through that sutler".

The men charged the wagon, robbed the sutler of everything and trashed his wagon. One of the men was said to have picked up a pair if canvas shoes of which he proceeded to scratch his initials into the toe. He tossed off his issue shoes, and strapped on the canvas ones.

The next day the regiment fought at Aldie and the man with the camp shoes was killed. When his comrades found his body, the shoes were missing. The next day the regiment was engaged again, and this time it was a Confed. who was found dead wearing the shoes, and a 1st Mass trooper took them and put them on. The following day the regiment was again engaged, and the 1st Mass trooper with the shoes was killed. After three men had died in the shoes in three days, nobody wanted the shoes!

Take care,
Tom Craig

[ThehosGendar]

Re: Camp shoes on the battlefield.

John,

You can find most of these images here - http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/cwphome.html . Be careful, though... these things are worse than potato chips. Once you look at one image, you'll go for another, and another, and another until you plummet into a hopeless spiral of trying to get away from the computer but in an hour or two finding yourself back in front it, staring, which is what has happened to me. With a clammy hand permanently cupped from hours of clicking and zooming, I beseech you to save yourself.

Tim/Gents,

There's a picture of an unfinished pair of wooden soled and jean wool upper shoes taken from the quartermaster stores in Atlanta in Don Troiani's "Regiments and Uniforms of the Civil War." Would these have been constructed according to a similar pattern as those made by the Richmond Depot? If not, it seems that there were variants on the cloth shoes theme!

[tmattimore]

Re: Camp shoes on the battlefield.

The so called camp shoe is of a much more sophisticated pattern. With 5 individual leather pieces the counter,back strap eylet facings and toe cap sewn onto a canvas one piece upper the shoe implies a working knowledge of shoe construction and pattern making. Many years ago I tried to make this shoe and had great difficulty making the canvas from one piece with out a large wrinkle between the toe cap and eyelet facings. Niether of the originals I have seen and none of the photo's show any evidence of this wrinkle. The MOC, Don Troiani's(atributed to the 15th Conn.) the studio photos in an article in the COMH journal and the photo's you show are all of this pattern. So much to learn and so little time.
Tom Mattimore

[Gordon Frye]

Re: Camp shoes on the battlefield.

Good Grief, that site IS addictive! Talk about a lot of cool photo's! There was a discussion some time ago before the Big Crash on the percentages of vests worn, and of a photo survey to try to come to some conclusion about it... this is a great vehicle for such a survey, and others like it, no doubt. Thanks for posting the address.

Gordon Frye

[va-yank]

Re: Camp shoes on the battlefield.

Note to self: Finish reading thread before posting.

Yes, as noted above, the camp shoe pops up in the U.S. Army as well. There is a photo of the officers of the 4th U.S. in the pages of Brady's Civil War by Webb Garrison. A couple of them are clearly wearing camp shoes of just this type. Think the photo is mid to late war.

[Fod]

Re: Camp shoes on the battlefield.

Found the following letter of interest at http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin...rowse?id=A0315

"62nd Va. Inf. Headquarters
Feb. 17, 1863
Mr. Editor -

Permit me to acknowledge in your column the receipt of [unclear: article] of clothing, sent to this regiment by Mr. Albert [unclear: G.] Garber of donation for the Soldiers from Augusta. The bale included 12 pairs of socks, 12 pairs of pants, 8 blankets, 2 overcoats, 2 pair of shoes, and sundry articles of underclothing; all of which have been appropriately distributed, and have proved most acceptable.

The earnest patriotism of our county has been touchingly displayed in the generous aid she has extended to her soldiers in the field, and their families at home. These deeds of noble sympathy are eloquent in their encouragement, and warm the hearts while they shield the bodies of her sons. It gives me sincere pleasure to express, for the regiment, this grateful appreciation of this and other similar acts of kindness.

I will be pardoned for adding, that the exertions of our people on the behalf of the soldiers should suffer no relaxation: The supplies of clothing furnished by the government are not sufficient to secure the comfort of the army -- The regiment, in the matter of blankets and overcoats, in now quite well off, though a few of the men are yet without overcoats. Of socks, they have a good supply at present; and they may be said, in general, to be for the time very well clothed. They lack, however, in a good many instances, proper underclothing, and I find an increasing demand for pants. The want of shoes is that most felt. At least 70 pair are now requested for the comfort of the regiment. - The government has lately furnished - for the lack of leather no doubt - canvas shoes. The soles are good, and they would answer very admirably for summer wear, but it will readily appear how insufficient they must be at this season. I venture on those statements for the benefit of those who will gladly receive any hint, however trivial, which may serve as a guide to their good purposes.

Very respectfully,

Jas. H. Skinner"

[FedOfficer]

4th Mich camp shoes

Here's a shot of what was labled the 4th Michigan, early war, both the soldier and officer are wearing the "camp shoes", the officer with leggings over them.

Rick Rachal