The accounts of Gouffier's actions in the early part of the crusade are somewhat unreliable. He supposedly distinguished himself at the Siege of Nicaea. On the crusaders' subsequent march through Anatolia, the army was split into two. Gouffier was supposedly part of the smaller army that was ambushed at Dorylaeum in July 1097, and was sent to the larger army to request help from Godfrey of Bouillon, who arrived just in time to defeat the Turks. However, it is more likely that Gouffier was already in the larger army, travelling with Godfrey and Raymond.