To fill a couple gaps.
John Potter was recruited by Capt. John Jay Chilton side kick of Col. Timothy Reeves. William T Leeper had a grudge match against these 2 men for the duration of the war. Jim Morris published a synopsis of Clardy's Command here:
http://www.history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs62x/mocwmb/webbbs_config.pl?md=read;id=17340
Potter was recruited as mentioned for 3 years or war service on Aug 6th, 1862 and assigned to Capt. John Casey's Company C of 3rd Mo Vol. Cav (CSA). This after he had taken oath at Reavis Station on Apr 10th 1862. His muster cards indicate detached service on scout towards Van Buren Dec 28, 1862.
He was captured in Reynolds County on Oct 25 1863, sent to Pilot Knob for about 2 months then forwarded to Gratiot Prison on Jan 5th 1864, where he was interrogated, had trial before military commission and released on $1000 bond and $500 fine on May 24, 1864.
His Interrogation report states he claimed to be 37 y/o on Jan 19th 1864. Described as a resident of Reymolds county and a citizen. He reports his nativity as Campbell Co TN. He reports his capture as occurring on Nov 5th 1863 by "some of the 3rd MSM". He reports deserting his command near Little Rock sometime in Sept 1863.
His tale is a bit smokey as he does not report Chilton as his recruiting officer and he reports the only action involved was skirmishes at Vera Cruz Mo (Nov 1862 also known as the First Battle of Clark's Mill), Wright Co MO (Nov 24 1862), Helena and Little Rock (Aug to Sept 1863)
Not reported was his action in the Dec 28 1862 capture of a Union forage party near Van Buren which matches his muster card. I find nothing past his discharge from Gratiot in May 1864. Presumably he may have joined Clardy's outfit for Price's raid afterwards but no proof found.
During his service he would have been under various commands including Marmaduke, Burridge, Porter, Greene, and Coleman.
The Leeper connection comes from Capt William T Leeper. He was commanding a company (L I believe) of the 3rd MSM and would have been based out of Pilot Knob or Patterson at the time of John Potter's capture. Leeper was a no hold barred kind of guy and was not bashful about his ambitions. The community of Leeper/MillSprings is named after him. He gave land to the railroad to put a station and line on his property in Wayne county. The note you ask about likely came from Leeper to Fisk originating from Pilot Knob. I cannot find it in the correspondence sections of the Official Records. It may be part of the non-published material primarily telegrams held by the Fort Davidson Interpretive Center at Pilot Knob that covers much of Leeper's activity in SE Missouri. Leeper made it a point to look up and intimidate southern sympathizers, thus I suspect he knew about Potter and Potter's history. Leeper was despised by many of his superiors and was in and out of trouble with the army several times during the war. Implicated in stealing horses, neglecting his duties, failing to report he was removed as Co L commander and made Chief of Scouts at Patterson MO, taking small detachments out in the country side likely to terrorize the citizenry.
Philip Odell is listed as married, resident of Logan, Reynolds Co MO aged 23 with no prior military service on the July 1863 draft registration
record.Philip is living with his older sister Nancy Odell Skiles (James Skiles) in Barnesville in 1850 census. In 1870 census he appears as married to a Nancy Odell living in Barnesville, Webb, Reynolds Co. From Find A Grave:
Philip's wife was Nancy Ann Johnson O'Dell (b. 1847 TN). They had 2 known children: Mary Ann O'Dell Johnston and Samuel Phillip O'Dell.
Philip's obituary was published in the 11-24-1888 edition of The Current Local, Van Buren, MO, on the front page (used with permission).
"Philip Odell, who has served for the past two years as County Judge of the Eastern district of this County and also re-elected for a second term, died at the Malin Hotel in Van Buren last Thursday, the 15th inst. Deceased was taken ill with brain fever one week previous to his death. The remains were taken to the Greenwood Valley cemetery for interment."
I find no record of military service for him other than the afore mentioned draft registration. I don't see an obvious connection between Odell and Potter other than Leeper's communication that infers they were both arrested in Reynolds county. I can't even say they were taken together at the same time.
JJR