North Carolina drivers should soon be able to commemorate the Civil War on their motor vehicles.

On Tuesday, the state Department of Cultural Resources announced that a design for the commemorative Civil War license plate is now ready for public inspection.

 The plate is being issued to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the conflict. Cultural Resources spokeswoman Fay Mitchel says that State budget cuts have forced her department to find new ways to generate revenue. Monies raised through plate sales will go toward acquiring and preserving North Carolina's historic Civil War era properties, and general maintenance of those sites.

 One of which is the Bentonville Battlefield. According to Mitchel, it was the largest site of a battle in North Carolina, engaging some 80,000 men.

 The new license plate design depicts three soldiers in silhouette standing around a cannon along with the words "Freedom," "Sacrifice" and "Memory." Mitchel says the lessons learned from the Civil War can be applied today in terms of bridging differences and moving forward as a country.

The new commemorative Civil War license plates cost $30 per year, and won't be manufactured for drivers until at least 300 pre-orders have been collected by the cultural resources department.