Civil War Confederate Saddle Shield recovered at the Antietam Battlefield

This is another nice piece being offered, it is an excavated saddle shield, also known as pommel shield. It is brass and measures 2” x 1 ¼”. The back has the remnants of the attachment studs. This artifact was recovered years ago 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.

In “Horse Equipment of the Civil War Era” by Howard Crouch, he shows examples of these saddle shields and describes them as being Confederate (see pictures). This relic is in nice condition and is a very interesting Cavalry piece.