in the west, union state and territorial militias existed as active forces in defense of settlers there. california especially had many active militia companies at the beginning of the war that rose in number until the end of the war. it would also provide the most volunteers from west of the rocky mountains: eight regiments and two battalions of infantry, two regiments and a battalion of cavalry. it also provided most of the men for the infantry regiment from washington territory. oregon raised an infantry and a cavalry regiment. colorado territory militias were organized both to resist the confederacy and any civil disorder caused by secessionists, copperheads, mormons, or most particularly the native tribes. the colorado volunteers participated in the battle of glorieta pass turning back a confederate invasion of new mexico territory. later they initiated the colorado war with the plains indians and committed the sand creek massacre. the california volunteers of the california column were sent east across the southern deserts to drive the confederates out of southern arizona, new mexico and west texas around el paso, then fought the navajo and apache until 1866. they also were sent to guard the overland trail, keep the mormons under observation by the establishment of fort douglas in salt lake city, and fought a campaign against the shoshone culminating in the battle of bear river. in nevada, oregon and idaho territory, california, oregon and washington territorial volunteers tried to protect the settlers and pacified tribes from each other and they fought the goshute, paiute, ute and hostile snake indians in the snake war from 1864 until 1866. in california, volunteer forces fought the bald hills war in the northwestern forests until 1864 and also the owens valley indian war in 1862–1863.