As multi-era reenactors, we portray different historic groups as the scenario and location requires. The group that we most often portray is "Goffe's Snowshoemen" but who, exactly, were Goffe's Snowshoemen?
Snowshoemen were volunteer militia which patrolled the New England frontiers in the early and middle 18th century. They were sanctioned by various provinces, but were not professional government troops. The concept was pioneered in the early French wars, but our era of choice is the 1740's and 50's.
In the years of 1745 through 1748, Captain John Goffe of Bedford New Hampshire was commissioned by the Governor of New Hampshire to raise a force of men to "scout the woods". The men came from as far away as Haverhill, Massachusetts. Goffe paid the men out of his own pocket and was reimbursed by the state later (sometimes five years later).
The men were issued salt pork, biscuit, and West India Rum, or were given the cash equivalent if they chose to procure their own food. Various journals kept by the men make constant references to hunting and fishing, so the option of keeping the cash and eating fresh food instead of salt pork was apparently exercised often. They were issued snowshoes and moccasins on a monthly basis. They were also issued powder and lead in a 1:2 ratio. Twelve kettles were issued to forty men for a five month scout.
The "scouts" lasted anywhere from ten days to four months or more. In addition to actively scouting the frontiers, they also did garrison duty in the springtime to allow some safety to the colonists while planting their crops. The "scouts" covered the areas of Penacook, Contoocook, Rumford, Nottingham, Souhegan, Suncook and other unsettled areas in New Hampshire's lakes region. Goffe and his militia were often dispatched to the scene of an Indian attack and gave pursuit, but were never able to actually catch up with the fast moving Indian raiding parties.
The men provided all of their own clothing and equipment, with the exception of the aforementioned footwear and ammunition. One would assume that these volunteers would be accomplished woodsmen in order to survive such an assignment, and their clothing and gear would reflect their experience. Clothes would have to be sturdy and warm, gear would have to be dependable and lightweight.
John Goffe's journal was lost when the "patriots" burned down Gov. Hutchinson's mansion in the 1770's, but many of his men kept journals and the state of New Hampshire also kept detailed muster rolls and pay records. Our challenge as reenactors is to study these documents and interpret them in such a way as to accurately portray a New England citizen-soldier of the 1740's.
The New Hampshire militia under John Goffe was also very active in the Seven Years War, the French and Indian war that most people are familiar with, and later, the American Revolution. More on those subjects later.
