Yankees in Mount Olive-- Part 1

From the November Clinton NC Online "The Yankees in Mount Olive" by Claude H. Moore (1916-1994).

On March 4, 1865, Sherman's Army began crossing into North Carolina from South Carolina with plans to rendezvous in Goldsboro, NC, with Union troops coming up from Fort Fisher and Wilmington.

Sherman's cavalry, under Gen. Judson Kilpatrick, entered Mount Olive, NC, on March 24, 1865, and remained there until April 10th. Along with his 4,200 troops, Kilpatrick took great pride from his destruction of southern property.

In 1865, Mount Olive was a small village with a railroad depot, several turpentine distilleries, a Confederate commisary, a few stores, a saloon and a blacksmith shop operated by Oliver Summerlin (nope, the pickle company wasn't there yet).

More to Come. --Old Secesh