Snowshoes?

[major bill]

Northern posts during the Civil War would have needed snowshoes for the soldiers. Snowshoes had been worn by soldiers around here since the French controlled Michigan. Does anyone know if the U,S, Army had specifications for snowshoes or did the Northern posts buy locally made snowshoes? I do not believe skis were much used by American soldiers before World War Two. Has anyone seen US Army snowshoes from the Civil War era?

If you have never tried to walk though 6 to 8 feet of snow you can never understand how important snowshoes are. I am sure that some soldiers in the top of Michigan had to go through 10 to 12 feet of snow. I have used US Army snowshoes and skis many times.

 

[FarawayFriend]

Northern posts during the Civil War would have needed snowshoes for the soldiers. Snowshoes had been worn by soldiers around here since the French controlled Michigan. Does anyone know if the U,S, Army had specifications for snowshoes or did the Northern posts buy locally made snowshoes? I do not believe skis were much used by American soldiers before World War Two. Has anyone seen US Army snowshoes from the Civil War era?

If you have never tried to walk though 6 to 8 feet of snow you can never understand how important snowshoes are. I am sure that some soldiers in the top of Michigan had to go through 10 to 12 feet of snow. I have used US Army snowshoes and skis many times.

Maybe you want to double-check the spelling of the header of this thread? It now says "Showshoes" and I expected to see something like Robert E. Lees small feet in ballroom slippers...

 

[FarawayFriend]

Or this here ... (sorry couldn't resist, although your post is a very good one and will hopefully soon find learned response!)

http://www.abrahamlincolnsclassroom...lers-measuring-and-estimating-lincolns-shoes/

 

[major bill]

Must be the spell check monster attacked yet again.

 

[Patrick H]

I am clueless as to your specific question, and I've never even thought of it. But, of course, they'd have needed snow shoes from time to time. It's a very interesting question.

 

[major bill]

If you ever had to walk through 6 to 8 feet of snow you would understand. At the fort at the top of Michigan you might have 15 or more feet of snow on the ground in the woods at times. Have you ever walked through 10 or more feet of snow? I have and wished I had snowshoes with me.

 

[FarawayFriend]

If you ever had to walk through 6 to 8 feet of snow you would understand. At the fort at the top of Michigan you might have 15 or more feet of snow on the ground in the woods at times. Have you ever walked through 10 or more feet of snow? I have and wished I had snowshoes with me.

It must be hell. I once went hiking in winter and we had to cross a slope of about 2 km (slightly more than 1 mi) covered in about 5 ft of snow. It was so exhausting, halfway through I was done. I sat down and told the others they should leave me there .... and that moment I really meant it! Of course they did not and we shuffled on and finally reached a wooded area where it was easier to walk, but these hours in the deep snow was the most strenous thing I ever did. Would be interesting to know if there is a way to make a kind of snowshoes from tree branches or things like that. But even if that was possible, there is no way the horses or artillery could make it through these masses of snow ...
Really interesting question!

 

[mofederal]

I would think at different times snowshoes would be needed. No other way to get through deep snow then. Walking through water is no easier. Try walking through 2 foot water. Very far. It is exhausting. Walking through snow is about the same. No fun, a lot of work.

 

[major bill]

On military training I have crossed untold number of swamps both during the day and at night. We always had the shortest soldier tell us when the slimmy green water reached their armpits so we could try a differt route. This is when it is a pain to have a 5 foot 2 male or female soldier. It is no fun to suddenly step into a hole and have the slimmy water go past your mouth. Remember you are on muck up past your knees and can hardly walk,0 you have on a full pack and equipment and you need to back out of that hole quick before you drown in some nasty swamp in the middle of the night. Just keep telling yourself that snakes and gators sleep at night, snakes and gators sleep at night. Crossing rivers at night is about the same.

 

[FarawayFriend]

On military training I have crossed untold number of swamps both during the day and at night. We always had the shortest soldier tell us when the slimmy green water reached their armpits so we could try a differt route. This is when it is a pain to have a 5 foot 2 male or female soldier. It is no fun to suddenly step into a hole and have the slimmy water go past your mouth. Remember you are on muck up past your knees and can hardly walk,0 you have on a full pack and equipment and you need to back out of that hole quick before you drown in some nasty swamp in the middle of the night. Just keep telling yourself that snakes and gators sleep at night, snakes and gators sleep at night. Crossing rivers at night is about the same.

WOW!!!

 

[Patrick H]

If you ever had to walk through 6 to 8 feet of snow you would understand. At the fort at the top of Michigan you might have 15 or more feet of snow on the ground in the woods at times. Have you ever walked through 10 or more feet of snow? I have and wished I had snowshoes with me.

Yep, I definitely understand the difficulty of walking through deep snow. I was just clueless as to whether they ordered snow shoes from a supplier or they made them locally.

 

[major bill]

There are no less than three type of snowshoes, each has some good points and some bad points.