June 2014 Enlarge Camp Ford Trail: Escapes
 
About 75 successful escape attempts and many more unsuccessful escapes. The Federals who escaped had roughly 300 miles to cover before reaching Union lines. The surprising number is so many (75) attempts were successful. A rumor of a bribed guard or guards exists.

June 2014 Enlarge Camp Ford Trail: Guards
 
Suspicions run the gamut of guards getting paid to shoot prisoners to guards letting prisoners escape.

June 2014 Enlarge Camp Ford Trail: POW Life and Recreation
 
Capt William May of the 23rd Connecticut Volunteer Infantry created, and smuggled-out when he was exchanged, a camp newspaper "The Old Flag". Soldiers played baseball, made crafts, etc. Being in a prisoner of war camp was not fun but the soldiers made the best of it.

June 2014 Enlarge Camp Ford Trail: Shelter and Housing
 
As can be imagined, conditions deteriorated as numbers increased.

June 2014 Enlarge Camp Ford Trail Panel: South Wall and Post Headquarters

June 2014 Enlarge Camp Ford Trail Panel: Stockade
 
The initial arrival of 600 Federal prisoners and only 40 guards on the slope of a hill called for the building of a stockade enclosure.

June 2014 Enlarge Union Regiments at Camp Ford
 
This is the first of 2 panels in the replica main gate listing the regiments and number of men from each. We noticed tourists seemed to flock to these panels and conversations began.
 
The one man from the 89th Indiana Volunteer Infantry (Pvt. Albert Shaffer, Co. "H") was captured at the engagement of Lamourie Bridge in Rapides Parish, Louisiana on May 5 or 7, 1864.
 
For a CSA version (May 5th) see
Burnett, Edmund Louis. Civil War letters of Louis Lehmann: with Alexander Terrell's and James B Likens Texas Cavalry Regiments, 1863 – 1864. Hillsboro, Texas: Hill College Press, 2011. page 171.
 
For the Union version (May 7th) see
Craven, Lieut. Col. Hervy. A Brief History of the 89th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, from its organization August 28, 1862, to the close of its term of service, including official reports, and the list of casualties and actions. Indianapolis, Indiana: Holloway, Douglas and Company, 1865. pages 24, 35.

June 2014 Enlarge Camp Ford Union Regts at Camp Ford Continued
 
This panel is the second of two panels and includes a listing for the US Navy by ship and Civilians.