still operating as a missouri militia general (rather than as a commissioned confederate officer), price was unable to agree with his wilson's creek colleague, brigadier general benjamin mcculloch, as to how to proceed following the battle. this led to the splitting of what might otherwise have become a sizable confederate force in the west. price and mccullough became bitter rivals, leading to the ultimate appointment of maj. gen. earl van dorn as overall commander of the trans-mississippi district. van dorn reunited price's and mccullough's formations into a force he named the army of the west, and set out to engage union troops in missouri under the command of brig. gen. samuel r. curtis. now under van dorn's command, price was commissioned in the confederate states army as a major general on march 6, 1862.