From my study of the 7th Mississippi, I am left with the impression that most of the men of that unit were farmers, joining up in "61. I think the city or towns idea comes into play because they enlisted in places like Columbia or Brookhaven, which would be the recruiting places.
I would still submit that the men were patriotic as in the letter of Lt. Thomas J. Rankin who said I will not submit to Lincolnism. He died before ever seeing battle. Sure they left the women at home and these women did a heck of a job raising kids tending the farm and raising stock. the old men (fathers)generally hauled supplies or handled the business of the soldier. This is proven by the Camp Chase letters I have been transcribing.
Maybe the makeup of units changed from location to location and the aptitude would also change or perhaps men were just more blunt and matter of fact like my grandfather Richard Pittman said "Woman I can't make cotton and fight a war too"
GP