Are these Boots 1880s Cavalry, Light Artillery or Non-Military?

[utica3]

Hello, 

 

I was hoping forum members could help me identify the type and age of a pair of leather boots I recently purchased. I welcome any feedback. I'm not an early military boot expert.

 

They came with the CW carbine sockets and Springfield 45-70 Trapdoor carbine boots in the first picture. The carbine boots and sockets are original.

 

The boots look and smell old. After doing some research, I believe they are light artillery boots. I don't have a guess as to the manufacture date. They have a very squared off toe. Thirteen 13 inches tall and 11 inches long. It appears at one time they had inside pull tabs. All these are characteristics of artillery/drover boots. 

 

They have tacked heels with well worn metal heel protectors and sewn soles. I would immediately think these boots are 1880s if the soles were tacked rather than sewn. When did sewn soles appear on boots? They have an inner lining that is very similar to the lining in saddle bags.

[CAC1901]

They're a nice old pair of period boots but not military IMO. I've had miners and work boots of the 1870s-1900 - amazingly hard to date as they changed so little over the decades. They can be so close to military mounted boots of the 72 76 and 85 patterns that they are hard to tell apart. Very little difference between the way they were cut and sewn.