Pair of Brogans from the “Battlefield Military Museum” Gettysburg, dug in Nashville

This is a nice museum piece being offered; it is an excavated pair of Civil War soldier’s brogans [shoes]. They were deacessed from the “Battlefield Military Museum” in Gettysburg, which is now closed. These brogans and many other artifacts were sold at auction in Gettysburg in October 2024.

In the 1990s during the construction of the Titan’s Nissan Stadium in downtown Nashville, a very large area was discovered as part of the Union occupation trash dump. The amount of the artifacts found was immense, with boots, brass Union buckles, eating utensils, eating plates, brogans, pistol holsters, cartridge boxes, and even part of a Confederate coat with KMI buttons still on it.

The shoes would be intentionally torn apart so they could not be of any use if ever discovered by the Confederate Army. Most of the footwear were from soldiers who fought and died in the battles of Nashville and Franklin.

On February 23, 1862, the Confederate army surrendered Nashville to Union forces, the first Southern state capital to fall to the enemy. Stunned civilians watched from the banks of the Cumberland River as Union soldiers marched into Nashville and began setting up camp on the grounds of the State Capitol Building.

The Battlefield Military Museum was established in 1963 to display the massive militaria collection of the late George Marino. Over 7,000 pieces made up the two floors of exhibits and included many Gettysburg and other battlefield items. These brogans were on display there for many years.

The American Battlefield Trust acquired the brick museum and the four acres it stands on and will be demolishing the building and returning the terrain to its 1863 appearance. The tract is located on the slopes of East Cemetery Hill, abutting the Baltimore Pike and sitting just below the crest of the Union artillery position on Stevens Knoll.

You can see the condition of these brogans in the pictures – most of the leather is stiff and saw hard service by the soldier and they are in the same condition as when recovered. One measures approximately 10 1/2" x 6" and the other 9" x 5". The uniqueness is in their history, being part of the time of the first major southern city to be occupied by the North.

In my book “Battle of Gettysburg – The Relics, Artifacts, & Souvenirs”, I discuss and show battlefield brogans from Gettysburg (see pictures). They would make a great addition to any Civil War collection.