In my opinion, this painting depicts many characteristics of life during the Civil War. The image itself shows the horrors of the war, and the brutal manner in which it was fought. The American and Confederate flags both boast red, white, and blue, reminding us that only years before, both sides were one nation. They were united in fighting for their freedom years before, and now they were fighting amongst themselves, throwing down their lives for separate goals. The small stone wall in the picture is another reminder that the war was fought on American soil. Battles were held in familiar cities, farms, or backyards. All the infrastructure destroyed, fields burned, and lives lost were American. I believe the fog symbolizes an unclear time in American history. During the war, it would have been difficult to imagine the North and the South united once again, to the way things were before. Looking back on all the years this country has existed, it is easy to say, "One Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all," but at that time, an indivisible nation had just proved itself wrong, and its future was far from certain.