Would southern unionism have faded away if there had been no conscription?
Perhaps not. The conscription was apparently considered a means of suppressing it some, or breaking up its organization.
With the opening of the war "Unionism" or any adherence to the US Constitution, etc. was considered "treasonous" within the Confederacy. So many who otherwise abided the Confederacy, who didn't necessarily care for it, called their movements "peace" oriented to avoid trouble if possible, etc.
Many considered it "treasonous" nonetheless, especially in the Army. From Georgia Lee Tatum's "Disloyalty in the Confederacy" (1934):
The conscript acts, brought many Union men, in sentiment at the least, into the Confederate Army.
Even among the more enthusiastic volunteers in the Army, the Conscription acts were obnoxious. Sam Watkins of the 1st Tennessee observing even they were technically held to service by them too...
Colonel Oates of the 15th Alabama Volunteers observed much the same...
Is it not fair to view southern unionism as merely a reaction to conscription after the enactment of the first conscript law in contrast to the southern unionism that existed during the debates over secession.
Opposition was various. From historian Georgia Lee Tatum:
Even before the general Conscription acts were passed in April, 1862, accused Unionists were being pressed into Confederate service to break up the "peace" movement, as in Arkansas...
After the Conscription acts from April 1862, which acted upon all military age men, anyone opposing the operation of the conscription acts upon them were charged as "deserters" potentially subject to the military punishment for same, etc. by the Confederate Army directly, without concern about civil arrests and trial, etc. Further...
According to John H. Aughey of Tupelo, Mississippi after the conscription acts the "peace society" sorts continued their organization in hopes of avoiding aiding the Confederacy where they could help it (though, as he says, some of them considered it necessary to attend the State Militia musters at least)...
Historian James Ford Rhodes observed the "peace" movement was South wide, and even in the Army despite threats of punishment.
Apparently with the enforcements of the Confederate conscription acts of 1862-65, unionism or "peace" sentiment was perhaps more common
within the Confederate Army than it would have been otherwise. The "Peace society" and its influence spread throughout the Army late in the war as the conscription increased its reach, simultaneous with the Confederate decline... General Bragg was apprised by Col. W.H. Walter in May, 1864 that such men had given up on any political movement for peace in the South on its own, and awaited the inevitable defeat of Confederate arms to manifest their dissatisfactions... Again the Confederate Army considered the peace/union influence among the troops to be a wolf they held by the ears...
General Clanton about the same time observed that efforts to punish or suppress the "peace" movement in the Army had been too draconian, and he denied that its adherents were traitors, (as in outright unionists) etc. despite the military punishments meted out to those suspected of such sentiments...
...
General Clanton claimed that the peace movement originated in the army in General Bragg's army in 1862-63...
By late 1864 Jefferson Davis lamented that a significant proportion of the troops were absent without leave, and doubted they intended to return of their own volition. And morale was dropping generally.
So it appears in the CS Army, the active disaffection of the "peace" men, and the demoralization of the balance, coincided some in the last months of the war.
Other Union men in the South headed off to the North or west. Or joined the Union Army.
Union sentiment Folks at home varied too in their actions. Some remained outspoken Union men, come what may. Others were more quiet about it.
But it was apparently the view of a large and relatively quiet number of the Peace/Union men however, that amidst the generally unfavorable circumstances the Union victory was the quickest way to peace but otherwise did nothing to promote it, but await the outcome of events. George D. Gravely of Henry County, Virginia, who it was said quietly awaited a Union victory as necessary to overthrow the Confederacy's military authority, observed:
Southern unionists also felt the harsh hand of union troops as they the ravaged the land, plundering/burning.
Indeed. Under the Proclamations of the President of the USA all inhabitants of the "States in rebellion" (per the act of July 13, 1861) were considered in insurrection against the United States (for abiding the rebel State governments to any extent) irrespective of their personal opinions or actions. The most active exemption from this condition was allowed for after 1863, when the citizens were allowed to take the oath of allegiance to the United States relative to reconstruction, etc. Though even in that condition, were subject to all the vicissitudes of war, from either side, and even to arrest or significant punishment by Confederate authorities.
For example Mr. Aughey noted of a couple fellows who took the US oath who he understood were executed upon falling into Confederate hands again...
Conversely, for a Southern citizen to take the US oath of allegiance, and be subsequently taken in arms with the Confederates, was a death sentence as well.
This was also noted on the oath certificates...
However, it was understood even some of those who took the oath to the US during the war subsequently turned guerrilla, etc. in some of the Union occupied areas regardless
Bringing the