Camp Sorghum

Located on the Garden side of the river below the old State Road was a Confederate prisoner of war camp. Established in 1864, the camp consisted of a five-acre open field without walls, fences, buildings or any facilities. Using wooden boards, a deadline was established ten feet within the camp’s boundaries; however, escapes were common. By 1864 there was a reported 1,300 Union soldier being held here. When word of the Federal approach reached the camp, the captives were moved to the mental hospital in Columbia and later to North Carolina. The camp received its name from rations of cornmeal and sorghum molasses as the main staple of diet.