The Civil War brought both prosperity and troubles for Newburg.  The Union Army used the Tennessee River to advance their forces south.  When they passed by at times, the army announced their presence by firing into the village. On one occasion, a cannonball was shot through Williams’ home.

Guerrilla warfare was quite common.  Union sympathizers would target the community and some townspeople stood guard, defending themselves and their property from the agitators.  Many of these guerrilla fighters perished at Newburg by getting shot up while attempting to cross the Tennessee River.

Legend says a mass grave with the bodies of many unknown insurgents were buried nearby. Some historical references suggest Blood River received its name from these events.  However, maps before the Civil War feature Blood River and it’s not for certain how the river got its name.

Newburg became a center for smuggling goods into Calloway County and other parts of western Kentucky.  Men worked under the cover of night and sank their flatboats during the day to keep them from being destroyed by Union forces.

Reportedly 1,000 barrels of salt were blown up at Newburg during the war.  Salt was a precious commodity in western Kentucky at that time, with its value being doubled from $25 to $50 per barrel once it crossed the Tennessee River.  Cannonballs along this area could still be found decades later.