American Military Footwear

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American Military Footwear

AMERICAN MILITARY FOOTWEAR

Before you choose your shoes let's take a look at the two methods of sole attachment.

Machine Sewn Sole (Shown With HR-2 Heel Rims)

Machine Sewn Soles

Machine Sewn Soles are done on a McKay Stitcher Sewing Machine, The first layer is a sewn sole with two rows of stitching. The outer sole is then stitched to the first layer. McKay sewn soles are made by a "through seam' with thread passing through a deeply channeled outsole, the upper and insole. The channel made in the outsole is then closed hiding and protecting the stitching.

The McKay stitcher was designed by Lyman Blake about 1857. It saw extensive use during the Civil War. The McKay machine was leased to manufacturers who paid a per pair royalty. Royalties in 1863 amounted to $38,746.00 at 1/2 cent per pair. That come to 7,749,200 pairs!

Pegged Sole Shoe With Iron Nailed Heel

Pegged Soles

Just as it implies, wooden pegs are driven through undersized holes, completely piercing outsole, upper and insole. Then they are floated (smoothed) off on the interior of the shoe or boot. We peg 4-5 pegs per inch just as the original footwear was done. This is 4-5 pegs in a single row to an inch.

Don't be fooled by "sutler row" double rows with 2 pegs in the 1st row and 3 in the 2nd row trying to pass their footwear off as 5 pegs per inch!

Several Styles of Hobnails & Heel Rims Available

for an additional charge on all styles.

Click On Link below or Photo At Right To View

Jefferson Bootees

By the time of the Civil War, the military establishment had improved upon the bootee design by scalloping the rear of the quarter to improve wear. Field use in the Mexican war saw soldiers cutting this modification into their shoes. The government took the hint and redesigned the shoe. Before the war, the regular army received shoes from Schuykill Arsenal that were entirely hand-sewn. At the outbreak of the Civil War it became necessary to contract for large numbers of shoes. The shoe manufacturers received sample shoes but attached the soles by whatever method was being used in their facility. For this reason, contract shoes were divided into four groups: Hand-sewn, Machine- sewn, Hand-pegged, and Machine-pegged. The upper design remained the same with minor variations in sewing of the uppers.

Visit our Historically Correct Footwear page to compare our reproductions to originals. We think you will see the difference our craftsmanship and attention to detail makes.

How To Order

JB-1

Machine-sewn Jefferson Bootee. Double soles, black waxed-flesh leather uppers. Four eyelets in the quarters and two in the tongues. Iron nailed heels.

JB-1---------$161.00 Postage Paid*

to lower 48 United States

Shipped via U S Priority Mail

*FREE SHIPPING!

JB-2

This is a wartime contract Jefferson Bootee with pegged soles and iron nailed heels.

JB-2---------$161.00 Postage Paid*

to lower 48 United States

Shipped via U S Priority Mail

*FREE SHIPPING!

JB-SPO

SPECIAL ORDER

JEFFERSON BOOTEE.

This is a reproduction of the government produced Jefferson bootee. It has completely hand-sewn welts and features a hand pegged sole leather shank per the original shoe. This makes for an extremely flexible shoe. By modern standards, it is expensive to produce due to the large amount of bench time and hand work.

SPO-JB-1----- $290.00 Postage Paid*

to lower 48 United States

Shipped via U S Priority Mail

*FREE SHIPPING!

JB-3

This is a copy of a brogan known to have been used by western Federal forces early in the Civil War. Volunteers often received their initial outfits from their state governments and the shoes were purchased locally. The uppers are black waxed-flesh leather with pegged

soles and nailed heels.

JB-3---------$161.00 Postage Paid*

to lower 48 United States

Shipped via U S Priority Mail

*FREE SHIPPING!

JB-4

Originals of these shoes exist bearing New York inspector's marks. Similar shoes have been excavated at Ft. McAllister, Georgia in the path of Hazen's Brigade. It is quite possible that these were shoes the government had made for issue to contrabands. Black waxed-flesh leather, three lace holes, external heel counters, pieced tongues. Double soles with double row of pegs.

JB-4---------$171.00 Postage Paid*

to lower 48 United States

Shipped via U S Priority Mail

*FREE SHIPPING!

EN-2

A shoe of this design was first

popularized by Thomas Jefferson.

For the military, it may have been

first issued to riflemen and cadets

in 1816. By 1821, it seems to have

been issued to enlisted men of all

corps. (Along with low-quartered shoes.)

These shoes have sewn soles and

uppers of black waxed flesh leather.

They are correctly made with a

binding reinforcement of the lace

holes. These could easily be used

for civilian shoes by asking us to

cut the quarters two inches shorter.

EN-2---------$189.00 Postage Paid*

to lower 48 United States

Shipped via U S Priority Mail

*FREE SHIPPING!

MW-1

By the mid-1840s, the army had adopted ,

The high-quartered Jefferson shoe without

binding. This was the shoe that was used

in the Mexican War. Black waxed- flesh leather

uppers with sewn soles and nailed heels.

MW-1---------$161.00 Postage Paid*

to lower 48 United States

Shipped via U S Priority Mail

*FREE SHIPPING!

Hobnails & Heel Rims Available

for an additional charge on all styles

Wool Sock Liners

WSL---Order with shoes and SAVE!---$5.00

Price $15.00/pair with footwear order

when ordered separate $20.00

Wool shearling sock liners cut to fit our

products. These are made from the

tanned hide of freshly sheared sheep.

They offer insulation from both heat

and cold and also cushion the foot.

They are made where you can take

them in and out as you wish.

Leather Shoe Laces

LSL----$3.00 per pair with footwear order

or when shipped with any item other item.

Top quality leather laces for your footwear.

Order an extra pair to keep on hand to replace worn laces.

Don't Forget To Order Your

BOOT AND SHOE CARE KIT

Perfect For Living History Enthusiasts,

Museums and Historic Sites.

Our Complete Boot & Shoe Care Kit.

Each Kit Contains:

2 - Large 7.5 oz. Cans of Huberd's

Shoe Grease

1 - Large 60 gram Can of Lincoln

Stain Wax

1 - Extra Large Can of Fiebing's

Saddle Soap

1 - Wooden Handled Horse

Hair Brush

Save $5.00 on BSCK!

$30.00 With Any Footwear Order

Postage Paid to lower 48 states

Shipped via U S Priority Mail

When Ordered Separate--$35.00

Postage Paid to lower 48 states

Shipped via U S Priority Mail

Items Sold Individually Click Here

To Visit Our Footwear Care Products Page

Want to Add Heel Rims

or Hobnails to your footwear?

Several styles of Hobnails & Heel Rims are

available to go on your footwear. To view

styles and prices go to menu below and

Click on the Hobnails and Heel Rims Link.

How To Order

To View Other Products Click On Links Below

Order Form and Ordering Instructions

Confederate Military Footwear

Civilian Footwear

Pull On Boots Military & Civilian

Hobnails & Heel Rims

Footwear Care Products

U. S. Knapsacks

Confederate Knapsacks

U. S. Accoutrements

Haversacks Military and Civilian

Confederate Accoutrements

Misc. Items

JB-1

JB-2

JB-SPO-Hand-sewn Welt

Welt Sewn Soles

Welt sewn soles utilize a heavy 9-10 iron (approx. 3/16 inch thick) insole, skillfully channeled to enable the welt, upper and insole to be united with a hand sewn seam. This results in a remarkable flexible boot or shoe. Probably the best type of construction ever devised