In many areas, the “Home Guards” were little more than common criminals”
The same held true for the North, as well...
In many places, ESPECIALLY Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois, just being CALLED a Southern Sympathiser was cause for a late-night hanging...
In Kansas and Missouri that went both ways. Being pegged as a Unionist to the wrong people was usually fatal.
As for Illinois, I don't know about that. Down state was a hot-bed of Copperhead loyalties, especially in Little Egypt.