"There was some violence in Clinton County that began near Plattsburg the morning of May 14 when some guerrillas, from ambush, shot a private of the 6th Cavalry MSM through the back as he rode by, killing him. The assailants then robbed the dead trooper's sole companion and escaped.”

That “sole companion” appears to have been a Mr. Grant of the Liberty Arsenal. Thirteen days after the slaying of the trooper of the 6th MSM Cavalry and the robbery of Grant, 1st Lieutenant R.P. Wilcox, 6th MSM Cavalry battalion adjutant, stationed in Cameron, was passing on instructions from Lt. Col. Charles W. Canfield to Major M.L. James, 6th MSM Cavalry, who was stationed in Liberty. In this dispatch, Major James was ordered to furnish a sufficient escort under the command of an officer to transport witnesses from Liberty to Cameron to testify at the trial of a Columbus McCorkle.

Those witnesses were as follows: Mrs. Ambrose Davis, Mrs. Archy McCorkle, Lovinus Fransee, Miss America McCorkle, and Samuel McWilliams.

The above comes from Union Provost Marshals’ File of Papers Relating to Two or More Civilians, reel number F1586.

Online genealogy records indicate a Christopher Columbus McCorkle--son of Archibald McCorkle and Zarelda Stout McCorkle-- was born 15 Dec. 1842 at Mosby, Clay County, Missouri; served in Company E, 1st Missouri Cavalry; died 22 June 1913, Dallas County, Texas; attended reunion of southern soldiers, Houston, Texas, 1895.

Missouri State Archive records indicate that Private Christopher C. McCorkle, native of Clay County and resident of Clinton County, served in the Missouri State Guard in Company B, 1st Battalion, Stiens Division. Went on to enlist in Company E, 1st Missouri Cavalry on 15 May 1862 (the day after the killing and robbery near Plattsburg). Captured September 1862, exchanged June 1863. (I am guessing that the September capture date is in error—and that he was captured in May, as indicated in the provost marshal report.)

Find out what McCorkle was being tried for, and you may find out how the Davis men were involved. The widow of Ambrose Davis/mother of Asa Davis was certainly considered to be privy to information on the McCorkle matter. Anyway, whatever McCorkle was being tried for in the aftermath of that Plattsburg affair that led to the retaliatory killings of the members of the Davis family, he was ultimately released in a prisoner exchange and went back to serve in the 1st Missouri Cavalry.

Possible avenues of research into additional information on what transpired—look through the Liberty Tribune and other area newspapers for the time period in question to see what they were reporting on the matter. Also check through court records—military court and civilian court--to see if you can come up with anything on Christopher Columbus McCorkle’s trial. A look through his military file, and pension file, might also reveal some clues.