Alan,

Please elaborate on your comments. My personal genealogy research indicates to me that men over 40 living in the border states tended to be more inclined to join the regular army (CSA,USA) or partisans than in other states. You and I had some prior correspondence.

Does that not make sense? This particular man and others living on the front lines had less choice. For them, the home guard had more potential for combat. The alternative was dealing with Jayhawkers, bushwackers and regular army on a more personal and less defenseable manner.