“With the declaration of war in 1755, Massachusetts strengthened the garrisons of the region’s forts and authorized the establishment of a “marching army” of 300 men for the defense of the eastern frontier. As the easternmost settlement and fort, Saint George’s became a hub of military activity… Men from the local community were enlisted as provincial soldiers under the command of Captain Thomas Fletcher…
“Service for the men of Fletcher’s Company consisted of “marching the backs” of the communities between the Saint George and Kennebec Rivers. For thirty days of each month the Company was expected to be on continual march, searching the woods and rivers for signs of native war parties. In addition to near-constant patrol, the Company frequently lay in wait at ambush sites along likely approaches to the settlements and routinely provided armed guard for inhabitants cutting and retrieving wood or tending to crops and livestock. Throughout the summer, and for the next four years, reports abounded of small native bands lurking in the woods and on the fringes of the settlements, observing the activities of the civilian population. Periodic attacks against the regions inhabitants lent credence to the fear occasioned by these sightings, and a general sense of uneasiness prevailed along the frontier…”
Taken from: On The Backs Of Communities by Mike Dekker
- On The Backs Of Communities
- Moccasin Research
- Guidelines For La Petite Guerre
- FSC Stockings Pattern
- FSC Scouting Kit
- FSC Jacket Pattern
- FSC Cap Pattern
