I for one would have difficulty in identifying any single unit as the best of the anit-bushwhacking units. The 2nd Colorado certainly was an excellent outfit. Yet, I think we have to examine efforts by the area of operations in which these activites occurred. There is the excellent work done by Milton Burch in his 14th MSM Battalion, later absorbed into the 4th and 8th MSM. These units operated primarily in the 4th Military district of SW Missouri and were constantly in the business of dealing with local guerrillas that often turned into blood feuds. The same can be said for the 3rd MSM (New) in SE Missouri. Then again the 7th and 8th MSM, both of which covered a wide area of operations. The EMM were seldom effective about anything except being posted to the particular home towns, yet they did have effect in their purpose. In early 62 when the Missouri State Militia was organized, their soul defined mission was to provide security for Missouri only. They were 12,000 in number and were intended to defend Missouri from the Bushwhacker, guerrilla and repel invasions. Their efforts were backed up by the fine organizations of the 3rd Iowa Cavalry, 3rd Wisconsin and the efforts by the 1st, Merrills HOrse, 3rd, 6th, & 7th Missouri Cavalry. Aggressive leadership can be found in all of these organizations, but then there were some units who did more harm than good, such as Penicks Thieves of the 5th MSM. No score card has yet been put together as to who did best in Missouri,I think it would be an interesting challenge.