Fred Collins is a private in the Union infantry facing intense bombardment during a brutal battle. Surrounded by chaos and carnage, he becomes singularly focused on getting a drink of water from a well situated near a ruined house across a heavily shelled meadow. He lacks an initial understanding of his own motivations, driven by a mundane physical desire despite the extreme danger threatening his regiment.

An artillery officer suffering from an arm injury that seems physically disconnected from his body. Despite the heavy bombardment surrounding him, he displays a mysterious lack of fear and rides steadily into a heavily shelled pasture. His stoic, detached demeanor mirrors the strange psychological state of the other men on the battlefield.

A young officer in the second company commanding the infantry. He oversees the men on the battlefield and serves as an authority figure within a chaotic, fragmented chain of command. He views the soldiers' mundane requests with disbelief, laughing at the absurdity of risking life for a drink of water.

A commanding officer attempting to position his men defensively against the relentless enemy bombardment. Like the other officers, he operates in a state of disorganized command, struggling to maintain order as the battlefield erupts around them.

An officer overseeing parts of the battlefield. He exhibits a flippant attitude toward the immense danger surrounding the troops, joking that if an underling does not hurry, there will be no battery left to command.

A private serving in A Company alongside Fred Collins. He acts as part of the collective body of soldiers observing the horrific battle scenes from the dubious safety of the clay bank, representing the rank-and-file infantrymen caught in the war.

A private in A Company enduring the relentless artillery fire. Like the other enlisted men, he watches the destruction unfold from the infantry's position on the clay bank, forming part of the collective group observing the fighting.