[colorado tanker]

I have ancestors who lived in North Carolina at the onset of the Civil War. No one has ever been able to explain to me how some convention could legally strip them of their U.S. citizenship and rights under the Constitution.

They were opposed to slavery and joined a Union regiment. After the war for obvious reasons they migrated to Indiana. So, at the end of the day they kept their citizenship but lost their homes.

[BroJoeK]

Colorado tanker: "I have ancestors who lived in North Carolina at the onset of the Civil War."

Important to remember they were far from alone.
Huge regions and large numbers throughout the South opposed slavery and supported the Union, during the war.
Many of them received reparations from the Federal Government after the war for damages suffered in their support of the Union.

According to this site, the total number of Union troops from slave-states was circa 365,000 -- enough to replace every Northern soldier killed in the war.