Civil War Photo Friday: The Fog of War

"The fog of war". . .we often hear that term to describe the chaos and confusion of the battlefield. Back in the days of black powder, however, it was quite literally a fog. Check out this Wikimedia Commons photos of some Confederate reenactors setting off a volley. Each one gets a little puff of gunsmoke in his face while a big cloud of it shoots out of the end of his rifle.

I use this fact in several scenes in my Civil War novel A Fine Likeness. Faces are an important element of the plot, and the fact that an enemy soldier literally becomes faceless when he shoots at you gets used for symbolic effect.

Strangely enough, this photo was taken in England. the caption says, "Civil War reenactment at American Museum, Bath The American Museum in Bath is dedicated to showing how our transatlantic cousins lived from the 1680s to the 1860s. Set in Claverton Manor, this gorgeous neo-classical house was bought by two Americans in 1961 to display their collection of American furniture and artefacts. Eighteen period rooms show the development of America, from the time of the earliest English settlers to the eve of the Civil War. Look out for re-enactments and special workshops. These include displays of Native American dancing and a re-enactment of a Civil War battle. The American Museum, Claverton Manor, Bath BA2 7BD."