In 1860 she had a white population of 4,788 whites, and 3,495 negro slaves. The county had always been Democratic, and the vote of 1860 was given chiefly to Breckinridge, with a few for Bell and less for Douglas. Their delegate to the Little Rock Convention, Judge R. T. Fuller, was a Whig, and voted against secession at the first meeting, but with the great majority in May. Then, the companies were organized. First came that of Capt. Alexander at Tulip, for the Third Arkansas Infantry. Then Capt. William Holmes took a cavalry force from Princeton for the Third Arkansas Cavalry, with Lieuts. 0. C. Gray and Robert Dedman, on May 29. Capt. Holmes was killed, and both lieutenants successively became captain. They surrendered at Bentonville, in the Carolinas. Capt. Feaster's company went next into the Sixth Arkansas Infantry, with Lieuts. M. M. Duffie and N. Ketchum, the former of whom became captain and major successively. Capt. Feaster became major and lieutenant-colonel. They also surrendered at Bentonville. Capts. Flippin, E. P. Chandler, of Holly Springs, McClendon and Goodgame, all had companies with Dallas men in them.

In the winter of 1863-64, Marmaduke and Shelby wintered at Princeton, where they collected all the corn near by, and then run in the hogs, the combination of which made some savory pork for the soldiers. When Gen. Steele started back to Little Rock, he was pursued, and, had not Gen. Fagan accidentally left Jenkins' Ferry for a corn forage, Steele would have suffered badly. As it was, Steele raced through Princeton, with Price's cavalry after him. At the ferry a battle took place, well-known in war annals. Of the Federals 200 were killed, and 955 wounded, while the Southern forces lost 300 killed, and the same number wounded. The wounded were brought to Princeton by hundreds, and the place became a veritable hospital, while the dead of both sides were buried here. The Federals were soon removed however. After this several regiments passed and repassed through the county, Gen. Clayton being the first Federal after the Jenkins' Ferry action. For a long time there was no white man in the county but Maj. Harley. Less than half returned after the war. The county had furnished about 600 men.