the citizens of the states referred to their country as their home states.
I'm sorry, but this just isn't true. Those that resigned from the United States Army/Navy/ect.. recognized that they were turning against their country. They are by definition traitors. It's a shame that some in this country feel the need to glorify and memorialize them.
There are lots of examples of Southerners that stayed loyal to the United States and fought against the Confederacy. Infact around 40% of Virginians in the Army stayed in the Army instead of joining the Confederacy.
Nemo, before you call someone a liar, you should really do your research. I have done mine, I know of what I speak; I have written scholarly papers on this subject. It takes a bit of research, but you can find what I said.
And when you say "traitor" I'm assuming you're using the legal definition that is contained in Article 3 of the US Constitution?
Section 3.
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.
The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture except during the life of the person attainted.
Now that seems pretty open and shut, doesn't it. But it's not open and shut, and why not? Ever wonder why Confederate President Jefferson Davis was never tried for treason? Or his cabinet? Or the varied generals that had served in the US army? It's simple: the Confederate States succeeded from the Union; they LEFT the United States to form their own country. FYI...there's nothing in the US Constitution that prohibits that, in writing (I'll get to that later). And by leaving the Union, their citizens were not US citizens and therefore, not subject to the US Constitution and its definition of treason. After the war, the US Government determined they did not want this question to arise and possibly reach the Supreme Court because had the court ruled in favor of President Davis...it would have said that the Union war was illegal, and that would NOT have gone over well.
Now...that being said, there's argument that while the Constitution delineates what it takes to become a state, there's no such clarity on leaving the Union. Some say you can't; some say you can, but nobody has really taken it to task, recently. In 1869 there was a case argued before the Supreme Court: Texas v White. In that case, the Supreme's ruled that the US Constitution "...Is an indestructible union from which no state can secede." The court further went on to state "...that the federal Constitution in all its provisions looks to an indestructible Union, composed of indestructible States." In essence, Chief Justice Chase declared that because the Union had succeeded in defeating the secessionist Confederate States in battle, they had affected by action what would now be law: no state may secede.
So...now you see why I don't call anyone a traitor; that's a highly perjorative term and remember, a criminal act requires intent. At that time, these gentlemen were acting honorably for the time in following their state into a new nation. Right or wrong; we have the benefit of 150+ years of hindsight to debate and discuss this.
But please...don't go saying something isn't true without backing it up. Read some of the books written by Confederate veterans in the 1800's...many will talk about how they were fighting for their home country, and then they'll name their state. They don't name the CSA, or the USA, but their state. There was more loyalty to your state than the federal government then.
Steve
(Private Member, not MOD for this)