As you are aware strange things were happening with the command and control structure in SE MO during 1863. As previously pointed out Ross Jelkyll was impeached as Capt of Co. B 68th EMM. As I was looking into that I stumbled across what appears a pattern of McCormick using the EMM and then the PEMM and some of these independent commands like Cochran's in Bollinger county as his personal political action arms. The hearings on the EMM post war indicate that McCormick used part of the 68th and the 8th PEMM to distribute voting lists and ballots that only had the radical candidates listed. I've not proved it yet but I'm getting closer to connecting the dots with Cochran's militia reporting to McCormick direct. Lyndsey was a radical and Mcormick fan as well.

Co L of the 8th PEMM is the only company that I found taht appeared over staffed with non-comms. Makes me wonder however if that was a way for McCormick to financially reward his radical henchmen (my assumption no proof...)

John R