Those operations were conducted by Colonel Whitmore in regular army style. But later work against the elusive foe was carried on in a very different way, at any rate in the bush expeditions of 1870–72. That was the most arduous and exacting period of the wars. The white troops, consisting chiefly of Armed Constabulary, were detailed to garrison the many frontier redoubts, stockades and blockhouses; and the campaign against Te Kooti and Kereopa and their hard-fighting bands was left to those best fitted for bush work, the Maori contingents. Captain Preece commanded No. 2 Company of Arawa Armed Constabulary, and in conjunction with his gallant comrade Captain Gilbert Mair, (Commanding No. 1 Company) made one expedition after another into the Urewera Coun try. The Ngati-Porou captured Kereopa, but Te Kooti had marvellous luck. Again and again he eluded his pursuers.