European settlers in North America had very different attitudes towards wearing snowshoes. French traders and farmers who worked in the St Lawrence River valley embraced the use of snowshoes and would actually purchase them from local tribes. The British, however, were far less willing to use snowshoes and this became a significant disadvantage in military engagements over the years. During the battles of the French-Indian War, British troops were far less agile and speedy in snow and suffered several heavy defeats. After the 1758 ‘Battle on Snowshoes,’ the British army made snowshoes standard issue for troops operating in snow-affected areas.