Steamer Travel, Between Decks- See This One?

JPK Huson 1863

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
Joined
Feb 14, 2012
Location
Central Pennsylvania
Hope these are not getting too much! National Archives are a little scant so far on cavalry photos- tons of super, super camp and infantry photos, and naval photos! OH and pontoon shots I've never bumped into before and believe me, pretty sure I've rototilled collections until they tossed up all of them, ever.

This one delighted me so if it was posted her please excuse!! Cropped some just out of delight- ignore me if the whole thing is boring. Just LOVE faces and details, no idea why.

Between decks on a steamer- note the soldier leaning over the wall, and a saddle in a crate
uss between decks steamer.jpg


Just a little cropped to catch the soldier and his side of things
uss between decks steamer1 close up soldier and saddle.jpg


And the other, with beds
uss between decks steamer1a.jpg
 

Attachments

  • uss between decks steamercloser.jpg
    uss between decks steamercloser.jpg
    237 KB · Views: 200
The wooden tote with handle near the saddle looks exactly like a modern grooming tote. I don't see any brushes but wonder if it is.
 
Pretty good view of some square-toed shoes, also. Gawd, those look uncomfortable.

I seem to recall reading that there were left and right shoes; but they were more expensive, so many people wore the square-toed interchangeable ones.
You really, really learn something new here every day! I had no idea that these square toed shoes were square toed for interchangeability! I always thought it was some kind of fashion. Thank you!
 
Re: left and right shoes. The fellow sitting on the bed with his sole facing the camera is clearly wearing shoes with a left and right. The other fellow sitting in the chair next to the trunk is clearly wearing a straight sole. Both the men are wearing shoes with square toes.
 
Sure beat walking in square-toed shoes, though!

Have you tried walking in accurate reproduction shoes like that? People back then did a lot more walking than we do, and they weren't stupid. Based on the shoes made by Robert Land, I haven't found them to be particularly uncomfortable or much different than modern leather shoes, once broken in.

Here's what I have: http://www.robertlandhistoricshoes.com/workmans-boots/ I found they fit better cutting about an inch down off the top edge, but otherwise, they fit the foot just fine.
 
Have you tried walking in accurate reproduction shoes like that? People back then did a lot more walking than we do, and they weren't stupid. Based on the shoes made by Robert Land, I haven't found them to be particularly uncomfortable or much different than modern leather shoes, once broken in.

Here's what I have: http://www.robertlandhistoricshoes.com/workmans-boots/ I found they fit better cutting about an inch down off the top edge, but otherwise, they fit the foot just fine.
Plenty of modern women's shoes have a straight toe, and the toe isn't particularly comfortable or uncomfortable. As for the straight sole, exactly, the theory is that once broken in they would mold to the foot. That breaking in part had to be uncomfortable though!
 
While I was interpreting at Old Sturbridge Village, I had a pair of broghans made to an 1830s pattern, not square-toed, but not left/right differentiated. They were quite comfortable right from the start. And, if you were careful to always wear each on the same foot, they gradually "fitted themselves" to that foot, and in effect became left or right shoes. After a few months, switching them would be uncomfortable. I wore those very durable broghans for a year after I left the Village.
 
I seem to recall reading that there were left and right shoes; but they were more expensive, so many people wore the square-toed interchangeable ones.
In England all Military footwear was two footed until Marc Isambard Brunel opened his boot factory at Battersea, London and produced left and right handed boots by machinery for the first time. I don't have the date immediately to hand.
 
Ha! I was just think, reading about what shoes were more comfortable than others, I'd take a flat, square-toed shoe made by myopic elves over a 4 inch heel and a pointed toe. A MAN invented those then watched us fight over buying them. What kind of sadistic misogynist does that to people? Discovered ballet shoes in high school before ballet flats were manufactured. Tall chicks in those torturous things? Up over 6'3", air gets thin.

Mankind's feet have really been put through the wringer-washer, gee whiz. I'd still take the square toed, generic footed shoe, maybe they could cute-it-up a little? :inlove:
 
Back
Top