8. Some of the men dug burrows to shelter them from the Georgia heat
Prisoners arrived at Camp Sumter carrying whatever they had with them when they were captured, minus the accouterments of war. Some wore only the remnants of their uniforms, others, captured while not actually in battle, had packs, blankets, and even tents. No new clothing, nor shoes, nor any other forms of protection against the elements, were issued at the camp. There were none to issue. Uniforms rapidly wore out, since many were made of the cheap, flimsy material used by war contractors. The material had a name. Contractors called it “shoddy”. The name became synonymous with poor quality. The only way to replace worn clothing was to steal it, from either the living or the dead. At Camp Sumter, nobody was buried wearing any of their clothing.
To protect themselves from the searing heat of the Georgia summer, some men dug burrows into the ground, where they shielded themselves from the glaring sun. Men also died in their burrows, sometimes from drowning during heavy thunderstorms, after having become too weak from disease to emerge. The sight of men digging became common to the point that the guards ignored it unless it occurred too close to the deadline. Many men, usually newer arrivals still possessing some strength, attempted to dig escape tunnels, explaining their efforts as attempts to dig water wells. United States Army records report 32 men escaped from Camp Sumter and successfully made it back to the Union lines. None succeeded in escaping via tunnels. There were two other methods of escape available.
