They were protecting Union territory from the rebels, so no, they were not territories. They risked their homes and their lives for their country; that's the stuff heroes are made of.
Devil's advocate - they fought against and killed people who once considered them friends and neighbors. They went against the will of the people of the South who chose to be independent of the Union. They betrayed the people of the South.
As I said, one man's traitor is another man's hero. Treachery is a matter of perspective. Historically speaking they will not be labeled as traitors, but that's because history is written by the victors. If the South had won they'd be considered traitors in the history books. Had the colonies not won their war for independence, the American Revolution would be known as something like Washington's Rebellion and the founding fathers would be known as traitors to the crown to this day.
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