LOL. You've exceeded even yourself, Colonel. At the moment I'm researching what Sherman's troops did to Columbia SC based on first hand reports. What scum Sherman's troops were!
I bet he had a big laugh out of getting that Southern Cross of Honor.
Why would he wear it if he weren't proud of it?
Where in North Georgia was your kinsman?
Chatooga County.
I had a great great grandfather in Catoosa County who remained loyal to what he called "the best government in the world" and was too loud about it so he had to take to the hills to avoid hanging by the rebels. When The Union Army came in the winter of 63-64 he returned and assisted a Union scout to infiltrate Rebel lines at least once.
It takes all kinds, I guess.
But that hadn't happened yet when orderly Confederate recruiting would have come to an end in Chattooga County except for irregular "join or die" recruitment by irregular forces passing through.
If I'm not mistaken, Chattooga like almost all of upland North Georgia, was solidly against secession. States rights and the defense of homeland roused some volunteers at the first of the war but the region boasted a massive determent rate by the end of the war. I suspect your ancestor was rightly proud he survived the hardships and dangers war but I strongly doubt he had much strong feeling for the Confederacy.
What regiment did your ancestor serve in?