At the beginning of this campaign Shelby marked for promotion two aggressive officers, Captains Shaw and Rector Johnson. Shaw belonged to Coffee's battalion and Johnson to Marmaduke's.
Shelby ignored Coffee and took Shaw away from him and sent him on independent scouts early in the campaign and allowed him to steadily recruit his own command. By the time Price left Missouri Shaw was a major commanding his own battalion of regiment in Jackman's brigade.
Similarly Shelby sent Johnson on operations throughout the campaign which allowed him to recruit until he had a regiment by the time of Westport and had become a lt. col.
Bryce