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To Enlist or Not to Enlist
A flash back reveals Henry Fleming's decision to enlist in the Union Army against his mother's wishes. In his mind, Henry imagines himself a grand fighter, easily defeating the enemy. These fantasies caused him to enlist despite his mother's warning that he would be a fool to do so. -
Fight or Flight?
As the men argue over when they think the regiment will engage in combat, Henry has an unsettling thought. When the time comes will he stay and fight or will he be a coward and run? He panics at the idea, unsure of himself. In an effort to find someone with kindred feelings, Henry asks Jim joking if he "ever thought he might run?" Jim answers that he’d probably run if everyone started running, but if everyone was staying and fighting he’d do the same. This answer momentarily comforts Henry. -
Waiting...
Henry Fleming (also referred to as the Youth) is one of many soldiers who have enlisted to fight for the Union Army in the American Civil War. Instead of going straight into battle as he pictured, Henry’s regiment is under orders to stay put and wait until future orders to advance. Jim Conklin (also known as the Tall soldier) spreads a rumor that the regiment will be moving into battle soon. The men argue over whether or not they believe Jim’s gossip. -
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Quotes from the Book
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Marching Soldiers
The regiment recieves orders to head out, supposedly into battle. The regiment goes on marching for sometime, many complain that there wasting their strength for no reason. Henry continues to struggle with his inward fears and as a result his mood switches on and off between anger and despair. -
On the Run
As the men draw nearer to the battle field orders are shouted out for them to run as fast as they can. The sounds of gun shots and explosions can be heard in the distance. Suddenly the regiment runs across its first dead man. The sounds of battle are terrifyingly close now. Wilson (the Loud Soldier) turns to Henry and says "this is my first and last battle, old boy" (chapter 3, page 23). He hands Henry a packet of letters and asks him to get them to his folks. Henry is shocked. -
The Fighting Begins
Henry’s brigade watches the brigade in front of them battle against the enemy. Before they know it, they too are in the midst of the battle fighting the Confederates. Henry is surprised to find that his fear has vanished; he joins the fighting hastily shooting and reloading his gun. When the fighting stops the Union flag is still held high. -
Ambush
The next day Henry wakes up and begins to congratulate himself on his actions in yesterday’s battle. Before he can spend too much time taking pride in himself, a troop of Confederates ambushes his just waking regiment. Convinced that the battle will end in a blood bath, Henry flees into the woods with some other soldiers. -
Alone
From his hiding place in the woods, Henry hears the remaining soldiers of his regiment who stayed behind and fought cheering. They had defeated the Confederates. Immediately Henry feels ashamed for having deserted. He walks alone in the woods and trying to justify his actions. As he goes he comes across another dead body. "The dead man and the living man exchanged a long look" (chapter 7, page 40). -
Wounded Soldiers
Henry decides to head back the way he came. As he goes in the direction of the battle sounds he comes across more and more severely wounded or dead men. He walks along with a group of these wounded men. A tattered soldier asks Henry, "Where yeh hit, ol' boy?" (chapter 8, page 44). In response to the question, Henry walks quickly away from the man. -
R.I.P Jim Conklin
As Henry continues to walk with the wounded regiment his shame grows and he wishes that he too had a wound, "a red badge of courage." Later Henry sees his friend Jim Conklin. Jim is fatally wounded. Henry and the Tattered soldier watch by helplessly as Jim suffers a painful death. -
The Tattered Soldier
After Jim's death, the Tattered soldier tries to find out where Henry is wounded. Although Henry reasons this soldier will probably die if left alone; he leaves anyways putting his own secret of deserting in battle over this man life. He sneaks away while the dying Tattered soldier cries out begging him not to leave. -
Henry is Wounded
A group of soldiers comes running in the Henry’s direction. He grabs one of them to ask what has happened, but instead of telling him the nervous soldier hits Henry in the head with the butt of his rifle to make him let go. Injured and confused, Henry wonders around in a daze until a cheerful soldier comes out of nowhere and leads him to his rightful regiment before disappearing again. -
Wilson- The Caretaker
Upon arriving at his regiment, Henry is recognized by Wilson (the loud soldier) who seems to have significantly matured since the last time Henry saw him. Henry makes up a story about being shot in the head and then getting separated from the regiment. His story is accepted and Wilson kindly tends to Henry's head injury. -
Extraordinary Virtues
Wilson continues to care for Henry. His new behavior is puzzling to Henry. Usually the one to start a fight, Wilson now keeps the peace by breaking up a fight. Later on in the day though, Wilson sheepishly asks for the packet of letters that he gave Henry when he thought he was going to die. This makes Henry think he is superior. Because unlike Wilson, he kept his fears a secret and says to himself that he is "an individual of extraordinary virtues." (chapter 15, page 77). -
Whose to Blame?
While the regiment waits for their next battle Henry blames the generals for the Unions losses. Another soldier jokingly says, '"Maybe you think you fought the whole battle yesterday, Flemming" (chapter 16, page 79). Henry stays quiet after this remark. -
A Second Battle
When it comes time to fight again, Henry is more than ready. He has built up a vicious hatred toward the Confederate soldiers and fights like a mad man in battle. Henry shoots and reloads, shoots and reloads over and over again until he hears another soldier laughing at him because the battle is over and he continues to shoot at nothing but air. After teasing him for this, the regiment and the lieutenant praise Henry for his exceptional fighting. -
Mule Drivers
After the fight, Henry and Wilson offer to go find water and fill up the men's canteens. They never find any water but on their way back they overhear a general discussing battle plans with another officer. The general asks which regiment he would be willing to spare. In reply the officer says, “The 304th. They fight like a lot of mule drivers. I can spare them best of any" (chapter 18, page 88). Henry and Wilson belong to the 304th regiment. -
Flag Bearer
Henry and Wilson hurry back to tell their regiment what they overheard. No one is happy about being forced to the front lines and when the time comes to charge everyone hangs back. Henry gets a grip on his fear and races into battle, others follow. In the midst of the fighting the Union flag bearer is shot. Henry races to him and takes up the flag before it can hit the ground. Flag held high, Henry rushes into the war zone with Wilson at his side. -
Another Victory!
Although at times it seemed impossible, the "mule drivers" manage to chase off the enemy troops. Instead of being congratulated by the other regiments, they are mocked. Henry is hurt by their joking comments but decides that he still thinks they fought well. A soldier tells Henry and Wilson that he overheard the lieutenant say that the two of them deserved to be promoted to generals. Although they don't show any emotion to this on the outside, they are secretly pleased on the inside. -
Taken Hostage
Hardly any time passes before Henry's regiment is at it again fighting another battle. This time Henry is the official flag bearer. The combat is so close they can actually make out the faces of the Confederate soldiers. During the battle Henry steals the Confederate flag. As the Union soldiers close in the Confederates scatter. Henry's regiment manages to capture four Confederate soldiers as hostages. -
A Man at Last
Henry reflects on his experiences as a soldier. He feels guilt and shame when he thinks of the bad (such as fleeing during the ambush and abandoning the tattered soldier). At the same time he takes pride in the good (such as capturing the Confederate flag). He concludes that "he had rid himself of the red sickness of battle" (chapter 24, page 117) and feels a "quiet manhood" within himself.
