Hello. You may wish to post in Missouri.
It seems to me that the folks from the home states lots of time have a good idea on how things went that related to the soldiers from their home states.
With George Harper having been Union, more than likely he was given a proper burial. One of my ancestor who was Confederate also died of smallpox. The family was not allowed to claim his body because smallpox was so easily caught and the health authorities did not want the disease spread. So no, I do not think he was shipped back to Missouri. If he died in Tennessee, he would have been buried somewhere close to the area in which he died.
Good luck with your search and just keep on looking no matter how long it takes.
Linda Acrey
descendent of James Thomas Harper
5th Tenn. CSA