Source: The Story of Oliver Springs, TN and Its People, Vol III, by Snyder E. Roberts, page 103.

Although Winters Gap (later Oliver Springs) was not the scene of any major battle, it was affected to a considerable extent by events of the Civil War (1861-1865). East Tennesseans were strongly in favor of TN remaining in the Union. Their strong pro-Union sentiment was reflected in the following votes in Roane and Anderson Counties:

Roane: for separation–454; against separation–4568
Anderson: for separation–97; against separation–1278

In the earlier stages of the War, the Confederate forces and sympathizers seemed to have general control of the Oliver Springs area (northern part of Roane County, adjoining Anderson). Thomas A. Butler (1833) was one of the Confederate leaders. He organized a company of “home guards” and held drills and maintained some order. Although the Borum families were not slave-holders, well-to-do Samuel Borum seems to have allied with Capt. Butler, Lewis Rector, Frederick and Thomas Seiber, William Peak, and William and Tom Henley, and others to establish Confederate Control.

On 21 November 1861, Confederate General Felix Zollicoffer moved a force of 3565 men from Winters Gap to Wartburg (Morgan County), where they were supplied from Knoxville by way of Winters Gap. In 1862, Capt. A. L. Mims of Company F, 5th TN Cavalry, Confederate Army, was stationed in Winters Gap with 109 men, who were mainly from Cocke County, to guard the mountain passes.

As the War progressed, control of the Oliver Springs area gradually swung to the Union side. The ranking officer of local Union leaders was Major Edward Black (1800-1882). He rose from the rank of private to Major in the 9th and later the 11th Tennessee Regiment. He enlisted 26 February 1862, and was discharged at Smith’s Mill, TN on 12 June 1865. At one stage of the fighting, Major Edward Black was the commanding officer at Cumberland Gap. He was in the Union forces that were forced to retreat from Cumberland Gap into Ohio. During the ordeals of this retreat, he received injuries to his health which later forced him to resign his Major’s commission. Edward Black married (1854 in GA) Mary M. McBee.