Original Item. Only One Set Available. During the 1880s, the Army reconsidered the design of enlisted footwear, and, for the first time, created specialized shoes for various uses. A post shoe was introduced for wear on garrison and two different designs for field shoes were intended for Soldiers marching on campaign. For cold or wet weather, rubber Arctic overshoes were added. The final addition to the new line of Army footwear was a shoe to be worn during leisure time in the barracks. In April 1886, the Secretary of War authorized the initial purchase of five thousand pairs of “barrack shoes” for trial.

Made of canvas with a leather toe covering and heel support, the barrack shoes were stylish for the period, lightweight and more comfortable. While intended for indoor wear only, the new shoes proved so popular that officers were soon reprimanding Soldiers for attempting to wear them in formation or during work about post. The design eventually gave way to the Army’s first gymnasium or gym shoe introduced in 1905.

This is a fantastic well-worn pair of Model 1886 Barracks shoes, both marked on the bottom of the shoe with the size, 6, and:

PHIL’A DEPOT
Q.M.D.

This denotes issue by the Philadelphia Depot, Quartermaster Department. The interior sole of each shoe has a very faint contract stamp, with one retaining a partially intact contract date of June 22, 1890 or 1896. Both tongues are retained but they are very small on this model. 

This is an extremely scarce set of shoes, the first set we’ve ever offered. Both shoes retain the lace, but the left shoe’s lace is now torn open due to the fragility of the material, but the metal aglets are retained. There is some rubbing of the leather but otherwise they are in fantastic condition for their age.

Ready for display!

The introduction of the humble barrack shoe is just one example of many improvements being made to Army clothing during this period, an indication of a larger trend. By the late nineteenth century, leaders recognized the importance of recruiting and keeping a committed professional enlisted corps. Over the next several decades, they made significant investments in training, post amenities, and improvements to the Soldier’s clothing – such as the barrack shoe – in an effort to keep quality personnel, signaling the beginning of a new era of professionalism for the U.S. Army.