Civil War Saddle Shield recovered at the Antietam Battlefield

This is another nice piece being offered, it is an excavated saddle shield, also known as pommel shields. The M1859 model of the McClellan Saddle had these shields on the saddles (see pictures). They were stamped with the size and measure nearly 2" high. The standard 11- inch, 11 ½ -inch and 12-inch size saddle markings were the normal, but by 1865, the Ordnance Bureau listed a fourth size by adding a 12 ½- inch size. The shield offered here is “12 INCH”. This artifact was recovered from the Antietam Battlefield.

The Battle of Antietam, also known as the Battle of Sharpsburg, particularly in the South, was fought on September 17, 1862. This was the first major battle in the Civil War to take place on Union soil. It is the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with a combined tally of dead, wounded, and missing at 22,717.

This relic is in nice condition and is a very interesting Cavalry piece. It comes in the glass top display case pictured.