Pair of Id’D Boots of Two Georgia Artillery Soldiers – Brothers Both in Heavy Artillery Units

SOLD

Pair of Id’D Boots of Two Georgia Artillery Soldiers – Brothers Both in Heavy Artillery Units – This is a fine pair of definitively, Civil War period boots; when we first obtained the boots, we could readily see period writing on the upper interior of both pairs of the boots, although we could not readily read the inscriptions. For this reason, we took the boots to some colleagues who utilize infrared photography to bring out obscured or faded, historic inscriptions; the IR images revealed that both boots had hand inked inside the upper interior of each, the following:

“Shay Brothers

No. 6 Georgia”

There are some additional inscriptions, but most are not discernible. Research indicates that there were two Shay brothers, John and Pierson, in two regiments of the Georgia Heavy Artillery. The boots are in overall fine condition, with one area, at the back of the left boot, above the heel, that evidences a modest split that apparently occurred during the war period, as there remained a period piece of leather, partially stitched to the interior of the boot, to provide a repair; this piece of leather has been glued in place, so the opening in the boot is now closed. These are relatively high quality boots, with fabric boot pulls, on the upper interior of each boot. The toes are square-shaped, and the soles are stitched on via a chain stitching machine (somewhat typical for period, high quality boots). The toes are square, and the heels are stacked and nailed. It is unusual to find Id’d boots, much less Confederate examples.

Measurements: Height – 14.75”; Length of boot(s) from heel to toe – 10.5”

John Shay

28th GA Heavy Artillery Battalion

28th Battalion, Georgia Siege Artillery

OVERVIEW:

28th Artillery Battalion was organized at Savannah, Georgia, during the summer of 1863 with nine companies, later reduced to seven. All of its companies had seen prior heavy artillery service. It was assigned to the Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, and took an active part in the fight at Olustee. In the spring of 1864 the unit was sent north as infantry. Companies F and H were assigned to Finegan’s Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia, and five companies to Elliot’s, then J.C. Fiser’s Brigade, Army of Tennessee. Companies F and H were involved in the Petersburg siege south of the James River and the Appomattox Campaign and surrendered with no officers and 7 men. The other five companies served at Savannah and in the North Carolina Campaign. They surrendered on April 26, 1865. Major A. Bonaud was in command.

Pierson B. Shay

22nd Siege GA Heavy Artillery Battalion

22nd Battalion, Georgia Heavy Artillery

OVERVIEW:

22nd Artillery (Siege) Battalion was organized at Savannah, Georgia, during the summer of 1861 with six companies, increased to nine in the spring of 1864. Many of the men were from Burrow, Oglethorpe, Montgomery, and Cobb counties. The unit was attached to the Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, and served in the Georgia coast at Fort Pulaski and Fort McAllister. In 1865, operating as infantry in Elliot’s Brigade, it saw action in the North Carolina Campaign and surrendered with the Army of Tennessee. The field officers were Lieutenant Colonel William R. Prichard, and Majors J.B. Gallie, Lawrence J. Guilmartin, and Mark J. McMullan.