Shoes, Myth or Fact at Gettysburg

[samgrant]

Have heard various versions about whether or not the Confeds (Heth...)
went to Gettyburg to get some shoes, Or Not, for their shoe deficient troops, thereby ancidentialy precipitating this crucial battle.

Some simply state this, others say it is an absured myth.

Let's settle this!

Was it about the shoes, or not?

[maryingettysburg]

Sam,
we went on some Ranger walks this summer, and per the NPS stance, the battle was NOT about shoes. They've pretty much all debunked that myth. There was NO shoe factory in the town at the time, and the local supply was not adequate for the ANV's supposed needs. Nor is it logical to think that anyone would deem finding shoes more important than finding food.....

so, being a native of Gettysburg, I grew up believing it was all about shoes, only to learn now that it wasn't.

[ole]

Sam:

The story about shoes is amusing, therefore it hangs on. I can't definitively say it wasn't about shoes, but then, I've always wondered why the ANV thought they could find a significant supply in Gettysburg.

Gettysburg was a fair sized town at the time. It may be more likely that the expedition was exploratory and aimed more for buttered bisquits and cider than shoes. It might have been as simple as exploring the territory next to the point where Lee was trying to concentrate his troops (gasp).

When you come up with your answer, please let me know. I'd appreciate another explanation.
Ole

[johan_steele]

Desjardin pretty conclusively debunks the myth that it was about Shoes, there was no shoe factory in the town at the time, there were several drygoods stores that would have contained shoes... but enough to make a difference? I don't think so.

My own belief is that Heth got sucked into a battle, thinking he was facing some militia he thought to brush them aside take some prisoners, get a little glory. Then it was cav... My troops can't be pushed back by Cav... Oh ****... that's I Corps! HELP!!! Here comes the whole AoP! And thus the battle continued to escalate as both sides threw more troops into the mix. A lot of relation ot a good old barroom brawl... w/ arty.

[manofdreds]

Its also been agreed by the scholars of gettysburg that Heth created this story to vindicate himself of his error. Things would've been different if Stuart was there. Getting back to Heth, his blunders should go hand in hand with Longstreet's. Maybe some board members can answer this question that perplexes me and this is in reference to Heth marching order of his brigades. If Pettigrew reconnoitered the area the day before on June 30th why was he moved to third in line behind Archer and Davis? he already had picketts out overnight and more than likely exchanged some fire with Buford's vedettes. Another question: Why would Heth lead his Division with Pegram's artillery battalion?

[VS on the belt plate]

Pettigrew's people really does make more sense to send in first ,at least on paper. Pettigrew had the largest brigade in Heth's division.

All I can think is that General Archer and his Brigade had considerably more combat experience. Maybe that influenced the General's thinking. Of course that fails to account for the inclusion of Davis' Brigade which was as inexperienced as Pettigrew's Brigade.

Bad day for our friend Henry, Wednesday July 1,1863

VS..etc

[ewc]

From what I understand, there is some truth to this myth, but it was not Pettigrew looking for shoes, but Early, who passed through Gettysburg, brushing away the militia from the place, a week earlier on his way to the Susquehanna River crossings and a possible move on Harrisburg. And it was not looking for shoes, per se, but a rumor that shoes might be found in some quantity in town, either through manufacture or as a Union depot i don't recall. But indeed Early's men were 'foraging' for any and sundry useful goods for the Confederacy, particularly horses, wagons, grain, shoes, and the like- including sending all Negroes found 'back' South, and would gladly commandeer anything of value in return for Confederate script.

Anyway, Hill would know of Early's passage and also know that little of value to him would remain on hand. So at the very least, the myth of the battle owing its inception to shoes as handed down over the years is indeed bun***.

[manofdreds]

Agree VS, very bad day for Heth as well as AP Hill.

[FSPowers]

My studies of the "shoes" story came up with the following observations:

1. Gettysburg was hardly an industrial area (Thaddeus Stevens' steel mill not withstanding). It was connected by rail to the east, but not to the west, so transport would be a problem.

2. The population level would not support maintaining a large supply of shoes, at least not enought to outfit even a regiment.

3. Early had been there before and found no shoes.

4. The information about militias may have originated with a brief engagement between Early and the 21th Penn. Emergency Regiment that previous week.

5. If this was just a raid, why did Hill expand the attacking force to almost his entire corps?

It seems to me that Heth was burned by a brief encounter with what he thought was militia and wanted some payback.

[manofdreds]

I don't mean to be redundant on this subject but somewhere in all of this, someone disobeyed orders. I'm looking at AP Hill. The orders were not to bring on an engagement. Why would Hill condone sending a whole division and a artillery battalion. Did Hill's sickness kick in between the 30th of June and the 1st of July. It was these same orders that handcuffed Ewell's decision making on day one. Go figure. Hill knew of these orders yet he sent a message to Ewell telling him of his intentions. This baffles me to no end. Where's that fly on the wall when you need him.

[FSPowers]

I'm reading Military Memoirs of a Confederate by E.P Alexander. It seems he believed the story about the shoes.

He writes:

"On June 29, Hill moved Heth's division from Fayetteville to Casftown, about 10 miles. Heth heard that shoes could be purchased in Gettysburg, and, with Hill's permission, authorized Pettigrew's brigade to go there next day and get them."

It's on page 380 if anyone has a copy.

[Calicoboy]

I've always heard that the Confederate army was desperate for shoes (throughout the war, too). I really do not think Heth needed to go shopping with an entire corp. I really do not believe he was thinking of paying for them. What motivation would there be for the shopkeepers to accept nearly worthless Confederate scrip. After running into the Iron Brigade and then the entire Army of the Potomac, I wonder how many shoes were actually procured?

Calicoboy

[matthew mckeon]

Like a lot of myths, the shoe foraging expedition tells a greater truth: Although a great battle was bound to be fought, the time and place were by chance. The armies stumbled into the encounter at Gettysburg, neither intending to fight at that place on that day.

[Calicoboy]

Like a lot of myths, the shoe foraging expedition tells a greater truth: Although a great battle was bound to be fought, the time and place were by chance. The armies stumbled into the encounter at Gettysburg, neither intending to fight at that place on that day.

Ah...as Buford said to Reynolds "this is good ground". The die was cast, the fight was ordained. Too many roads led to Gettysburg. It was kismit.

Calicoboy

[samgrant]

Wonder if CWTers who have visited Gettysburg have bought shoes there? Is there a sutler there who can provide a sturdy pair of brogans?

[ole]

In the entire town, there may have been enough shoes for a company -- maybe two if they requisitioned civilian shoes. Shoeless soldiers might be a reason, but to lead with a division kind of puts the lights out on the shoe myth.

It seems that Lee had in mind to concentrate his scattered forces. Did he intend to do that at Cashtown? Why?

Gettysburg was a perfect place for concentration. That it was a pretty darn good place for a knock-down battle was something neither commander knew. Heth's advance was arguably a reconnaissance in force. Buford's presence was incidental in covering the left of the probing Federals.

The evidence points to a bump that led to a shove that led to a swing that led to a biting, kicking, rolling-on-the floor brawl.

Wrong thread, but I was here, and the shoe myth made me do it.
Ole

[VS on the belt plate]

If you read Stephen Sear's book Gettysburg...the shoe story is NOT a myth...well ,at least it is based on the real desire and need of the Confederates to requisistion shoes as well as other supplies.

In the paperback version of the book see pages 136 to around 140. The footnote sites Heth's official report of the battle who mentions the shoes. Hardly time enough for a myth to be started.(A cynic could say well Henry was just trying to cover his ***). Maybe,but I don't think so.

The tale of the storied barefoot Confederate soldier is true for at least some of the war.
(Not so much of a problem for the ANV when the war went to static lines in '64.)

A couple days before the battle Alleghenny Johnson,made a bunch of paroled Pennsylvania militia,give up their shoes,telling those who objected that his boys still had work to do,while the militia were almost home!

Point is the Southerners did want and need shoes.

The shoe story sometimes says something about a shoe factory,but there was no such thing mentioned in official records.

Gettysburg did have 22 shoemakers,(at least according to the 1860 census,) not a factory,but in this unspoiled land of plenty a little was a lot to the Southern soldiers.

Conclusion:The battle WAS touched off,by a search for shoes and other property owned by the good people of Pennsylvania.

Read Sears' book it is Superb.


VS..etc

[samgrant]

If even the most respected historians cannot agree on this matter, what are we to believe?

Shane earlier referenced 'These Honored Dead' by Thomas A. Desjardin. Expanding on Shane's post, Desjardin says:

"Perpetuators of this myth also ignore the fact that Confederate troops had raided the town four days earlier, held it for a ransom that included 1,500 pairs of shoes, and left without any."

That's what he says.

[VS on the belt plate]

You make a good point. He was probably referencing Early's foray there/ I'll check a couple other references to confuse the issue further!

Cheers
VS etc.

[samgrant]

After this, I'm giving up on these ****ed shoes!

Lo, and even our late revered and trusted friend Shelby Foote apparently buys into the shoe theory:

".... and hearing that Early's men had overlooked a supply of shoes while passing through Gettysburg the week before, Heth sent his lead brigade forward next morning, June 30, to investigate the rumor. (HA! as far back as then it was just a rumor!/?) Its commander, Brigadier General Johnston Pettegrew, mindful of Lee's warning not to bring on a battle until the whole army was at at hand, prudently withdrew when he encountered Federal troopers along a creekbank west of town, not knowing what number of blue soldiers of all arms might be lurking in the rear of the cavalry outposts. He returned to Cashtown late that afternoon, having put his men into bivouac about midway between there and Gettysburg, and reported on the day's events. Heth did not think highly of such wariness. What was more, he wanted those shoes. So he took Pettigrew to Hill and had him repeat the account of what he had seen. Hill agreed with Heth. "The only force at Gettysburg is Cavalry," he declared "probably a detachment of observation."
Meade's infantry forces were still down in Maryland, he added. "and have not struck their tents."
Heth was quick to take him up on that. " If there is no objection," he said, "I will take my division tomorrow and go to Gettysburg and get those shoes."
"None in the world," Hill told him.

* * *

One strenuous objector was there , however, in the person of John Buford .....".

And the game was on.

[whitworth]

It was summer. Gettysburg was a small town compared to a large army, like Lee's army. with a much smaller demand. There were modern sewing machines that stitched the tops of shoes to leather soles. Farmers would have more likely replaced their shoes for the spring planting. The railroads made it obsolete for any merchant keeping a large stock of shoes on hand. Early's division had visited Gettysburg days before Hill headed to Gettysburg. What shoes?


The reason why the shoe myth lasted so long is an historian could abstain from mentioning that the Confederate army made a mistake. Lee might have thought that he could get his two corps near to Gettysburg, before the Army of the Potomac came up to Gettysburg. He was wrong.

Tactically, the Confederates had to move up the Chambersburg-Gettysburg pike from Cashtown and go to Gettysburg. Once Hill got to Cashtown, there was no turning back to Chambersburg or defending with Lee's corps, backed up to South Mountain. The fact there was only one major ingress-egress from Cashtown to Chambersburg seems a fact missed by many historians. Lee was too good a general to attempt to defend with his back to that mountain. Lee did err, not because he was moving his army to Gettysburg, he erred because he underestimated the Army of the Potomac and its arrival at Gettysburg.

[ole]

Thanks for the post, Whitworth,

it makes sense. Lee's plan was mysterious. It's been explained and explained again, but some parts of the actions taken anteGettysburg don't add up. Thanks for your contribution. Every bit helps.
Ole

[samgrant]

Whitworth, you seem to imply that Lee meant to engage at Gettyburg (or I may be mistaken as to what you imply). But if he meant to concentrate at/near Gettysburg, why would he have allowed his various corps to be so widely dispersed?

I guess I'd like clarification of your theory of Lee's intentions in this area.

Thank you.

[MobileBoy]

Samgrant those are the same questions I was having.

[whitworth]

The shoes story is a type of coverup, to avoid the fact Lee had probably made a bad decision, as it turned out, in going to Gettysburg.
Lee had two corps, Hill's and Longstreet's, west of South Mountain, in the Chambersburg area, when he found out the AoP had crossed the Potomac River.
Lee decided to not stay in Chambersburg, and defend there. So he decides to cross his two corps over one narrow road and a gap, the Chambersburg-Gettysburg Pike. It was also raining often that week. It was a crossing that took days.

Why did Lee leave Chambersburg with his two corps and pass them over the only main road to Gettysburg? Fear, not for the two corps in Chambersburg, but fear I believe for Early's division strung out all the way out in the York-Wrightsville area. Did Lee think the AoP might intercept Early before he came under the protection of Hill's and Longstreet's Corps? At first, Lee had ordered Ewell, who was in the Carlisle-Susquehanna River area, to come to Chambersburg. He changed the order, telling Ewell to move south towards Cashtown or Gettysburg.

Lee was forced to do the same tactical error he made in 1862, separate his army in the movement to Pennsylvania. His army nearly did not get together at Antietam, before total tragedy struck. Perhaps when he thought of Early's location, far off to the east, he might have thought what almost happened at Antietam, a greater destruction of his army.

So Lee, in his quest to protect Early, wants to move towards Early, and shorten the time of separation. From this vantage point, Lee moving to Gettysburg makes sense.

Once Lee moved to Cashtown, he was forced to move to Gettysburg. Lee did not have topographical maps. It may have been after his arrival at Cashtown, he realized that the army had to move further east. At his back was a good mountain range and only one major road, over which his army was still attempting to traverse. Lee could not and would not fight at Cashtown. Gettysburg also had more egress roads back to Virginia.

One wonders what would have happened if Lee had held fast and waited for Early and Ewell to join him in Chambersburg? Lee had major logistical problems and enough ammunition for one good fight. Army of the Potomac would have had more travel time to get its ammunition further west. Perhaps in defeat, some Confederates would wonder if the Corps had remained in Chambersburg, instead of moving to Gettysburg and eventual defeat?