The American Civil War started in April 1861 and White Sulphur Springs became a staging and training area for troops who came into Pine Bluff to be organized into units.

In late July 1861, the 9th Arkansas Infantry Regiment was organized and trained at White Sulphur Springs and remained there for about a month before being shipped out to Tennessee.

By the spring of 1862, the war had reached Arkansas and the Battle of Pea Ridge, in the north part of the state, was fought.

The Confederate Hospital was moved to White Sulphur Springs from Pine Bluff and was set up in the Poole Hotel which was the Female High School and the Methodist Church.

[2] Troops that arrived at White Sulphur Springs from Texas and Oklahoma brought a measles epidemic with them and many of them died from the disease before even seeing a battlefield.