For all of its good looks gator hide is no where near as durable as cow hide. I don't recall off hand seeing anything in Confederate Memorial Hall in New Orleans or any other museum in this area where gator skin was used for boots or saddles or any other military use. I have always assumed it was used for other things like bags, belts and luggage etc.

Great-grandfather John Roberts's diary mentions him getting shoes that were a combination of leather and what he called "cloth". I used to have a pic (can't find it any more) of a pair of WBTS era shoes that were combination leather (heel, toe and sole) and canvas (probably the same stuff as ship sails). If I recall correctly it may have been David Upton who sent me the pic in the first place.