The Red Badge of Courage
(Stephen Crane)

Chapter 1

The army is camped next to a river, with a road leading away. Across the river, another army is camped, and at night they can see the light of their fires. They have been stationed there for a while, and many of the soldiers are getting restless. One day, a tall soldier named Jim brings news that the regiment is going to move. Because it is a rumor, many are hesitant to believe it, but they are so bored that the rumor causes a commotion anyway. Arguments break out, and Jim defends his position.

One youth listens to all the soldiers talking for a while before going back to his small hut to be alone. He lies down on the bunk and thinks to himself about how he got there. Before joining the army, he dreamed of fighting and glory. When he told his mother he wanted to enlist she told him it was a lousy idea. One night, however, he heard the church bells ringing and decided that he was going to go through with it. He registered the next morning, and his mother was resigned when she found out.

When it came time for the youth to leave home, his mother gave him new socks and clothes and all sorts of practical advice. He was a little disappointed because he was expecting a more melodramatic scene. He tells her goodbye and sees her crying before going to wish his schoolmates farewell. They treated him as if he was something special, and he impressed one of the girls with his uniform. On the way to Washington, he was treated with respect everywhere he went, and many people wished him luck or gave him free food. Because of all the attention, the youth began to think that he was already a hero and let his dreams of grandeur on the battlefield run wild.

Once he got to the camp he was disappointed to find out that life among the army was boring. Every day was the same as the one before, and the soldiers had nothing to do to pass the time but sit around and tell war stories. The old veterans spent much of their time telling the younger soldiers about their glorious past battles, but the youth didn't know if he could trust that their tales were true.

The youth's thoughts turn to the prospect of battle. He is astonished to think that he might be in a real fight soon and wonders if he will run away once the battle begins. He realized that it is impossible to predict whether or not somebody is going to run, and he won't know the answer for himself until his first fight. The youth begins daydreaming about the old Greek battles and recalling his conceptions of the army before he enlisted.

The young man jumps up and snaps himself out of his reverie. He starts nervously pacing the floor to try and calm himself down. Jim, the man who started the rumor, enters along with another soldier. They are still arguing about whether or not the regiment will move. The youth anxiously asks Jim if there is going to be a battle, and the tall soldier is sure there will be. He says that the cavalry has already been moved to Richmond and that they are next.

Still nursing his previous doubts, the youth wants to know if any boys will run during the fight. Jim admits that there are always a few who run, especially if there are a lot of new recruits who haven't experienced gunfire yet. The young soldier asks Jim if he thought he was going to run before his first battle. Jim seems to know what the youth is thinking and answers that he would have done whatever the other soldiers were doing. If everyone was running, he would have run, but if everyone was holding their ground he would have done the same. The youth is reassured at Jim's answer, and his anxieties subside somewhat.

Chapter 2

In the morning, the rumors are proved false, and many of the soldiers are angry. The youth is thrown into turmoil once again and tries to calculate the odds of him running. He gives up, realizing that he won't know until an actual battle begins. He tries to analyze and compare himself to the other soldiers, looking for signs that any of them are full of doubts. He goes back and forth between thinking that they are all heroes and all cowards who are afraid of battle. The youth listens to the men talking excitedly about battle and is ashamed of himself and his fears. He is also angry because nothing is happening.

One morning the regiment is lined up outside. Everyone is impatient, and suddenly they hear a horse galloping up the hill. The horseman speaks to the general, and the regiment begins moving. They march all day and the men debate about where they are all going. The youth feels cut off from everyone else and begins to delve into his own personal depression.

At night, they set up camp, and the youth keeps to himself as much as he can. He wishes that he were back at home because he misses his mother and the farm. Another soldier named Wilson comes over and asks the youth what is wrong. They begin talking, and Wilson, like the other soldiers, is excited about the upcoming fight. Wilson gets angry when the youth asks him if he would ever run, and leaves, indignant.

Alone, the youth is more anxious than ever. He can't believe that no one else is worried about the battle and thinks he is different from all the other men. Finally, he lays down on his blanket to sleep, and dreams of running away from gunfire and smoke. Eventually, the youth falls asleep exhausted mentally and physically.

Chapter 3

On the second night of the march, the youth becomes worried that the regiment is about to be assaulted at any second. He watches intently, but they make it through the night. In the morning, they reach a forest. They have been marching for three days now, and the novelty has worn off. The men begin to complain about sore feet, and drop any items they can to reduce the weight they are carrying.

This goes on for a few more days, until one morning the youth is kicked awake. Everyone is running, and he begins following the mob. No one knows what is going on, but they can hear firing in the distance. The boy is bewildered and tries not to fall behind. Realizing that the time he has been dreading has finally come, the youth looks around him. Since he is in the middle of a group, he could not run away even if he wanted to. He thinks that he never wanted to go to war and fears he is being led into a slaughter.

The regiment crosses a stream and comes to a hill. Curious, the youth climbs up and looks over. He expects to see a battle, but instead sees a few skirmishes on an open plain. He is fascinated with the skirmishes and does not watch where he is going. Eventually, the regiment comes across a dead soldier, and they avoid the corpse. The youth looks at the man closely and is interested.

After a while, the scenery becomes familiar, and the youth's curiosity is satisfied. He has time to calm down and reflect and begins thinking all sorts of absurd thoughts. He thinks they are walking into a trap that his pants are too small, and wants to shout a warning for no reason. The youth knows that the other men would laugh at a warning and holds his tongue. He begins lagging behind until a lieutenant beats him with a sword and tells him to hurry up.

They come to a cathedral and stop. The soldiers begin making small hills for protection, and argue about battle strategy. Some think it would be better to stand and fight, like a duel, but others point out that the veterans are the ones making hills. Orders come to withdraw, and the youth is surprised. The soldiers thought they were going to stay, and hate to leave their barricades. They stop several more times, each time building and leaving more entrenchments. The youth is so high strung he begins complaining that he can't stand the suspense. Others agree with him, but one of the higher ups gets on to them for making a ruckus.

That afternoon the regiment makes another circuit before going into new territory. Along with the new territory comes new fears in the mind of the youth, and the battle sounds they approach becomes more fierce. They finally come onto the scene of the battle, and it is full of gunfire, smoke, and the sound of heavy artillery. The youth gapes at the battle scene in front of him and suddenly feels a hand on his shoulder. He looks up to see another soldier, who tells him grimly that it will be his first and last battle. The soldier gives the youth a package to send to his family and the youth is a little angry. When he tries to talk to the soldier, the man walks away.

Chapter 4

The brigade halts in the trees outside the grove where the main battle is taking place. They can see men running away, but can't make out much else through all the smoke. The soldiers begin talking, wildly spreading rumors about who is injured, who killed how many enemies and where the other brigades have moved to. The youth is frozen at the sight of an actual battle.

A loud shell passes overhead and explodes in the center of the grove. Bullets are whizzing everywhere through the trees, and the lieutenant is shot in the hand. He begins swearing profusely, which relieves the tension of the troops somewhat. There is a battle flag in the center of the grove, where the majority of the action is taking place. The flag sinks down, and mobs begin running towards the trees. The soldiers coming towards the regiment are pale and frightened looking.

The youth watches the men fighting and fleeing. Some are desperately swinging swords; others are using their whole bodies. In the midst of the chaos, some of the older veterans joke. Seeing the horror in the faces of the fleeing soldiers, the youth realizes that if he could have moved his legs he would have already run away. As it is, he hasn't seen what made the other brigade so frightened. He resolves to find out, and then run away as fast as he can.

Chapter 5

The youth waits, frozen, for the battle to come to him. Someone cries out that the enemy is coming, and there is flurry of activity. He hears another cry, and everyone loads their guns. Across the field, the youth sees men running towards them swinging rifles. He is so startled he tries to remember if he loaded his gun or not. The general is barking instructions, telling them to hold their fire until the enemy closes in. The youth is nervous, but when he sees the men closing in he loses all his doubts and fires.

Suddenly, his entire mindset changes and he enters into a battle fury. He loses all individuality and is only one part of the larger regiment. The youth is aware of his comrades, and they give him assurance with their presence and mysterious connection. Eventually, physical sensations come back to him, and he realizes he is sweating and there is a roaring in his ears. He experiences an animalistic rage and wants nothing more than to kill. Other men are talking, swearing or making other, more guttural sounds. The firing seems to be at random, and the officers are still yelling.

One man tries to run away, and the lieutenant beats him until he is back in the ranks. Some men are dead, and others hiding. Finally, the firing dwindles and the smoke begins to clear. The youth realizes the enemy has scattered, and that the regiment is still intact. Some soldiers whoop and celebrate loudly, and others are silent. The youth is back to normal, and realizes how hard the smoke makes it to breathe. The wounded men are moved to the back, and to the left and right are other troops, some of them still fighting. The youth looks up at the sky and is surprised that it is so tranquil.

Chapter 6

The youth comes back to himself, dazed. He realizes with joy that the battle is finally over and is satisfied with himself. He talks amiably with his other comrades and feels bonded to them all. Suddenly, someone cries that the enemy is coming back. The youth looks and sees the enemy soldiers running towards them once more. The men are disappointed, and don't think that they can take another assault. Many begin complaining that they need additional support.

Firing begins, and the youth is numb. He lifts his rifle and tries to see through the smoke. Around him, soldiers begin to flee. The youth sees them and begins to run, as well. He runs blind, more afraid than when he was facing the enemy head on. The sound of the others running gives him relief. He crosses a field and dodges the shells. During his run, he passes experienced shooters and excited brigades about to go into battle. The youth pities them all.

Eventually, there are not as many noises, and the youth slows down. He begins to run at a steadier pace, instead of his terrified sprint. He comes across a general with a few other men and tries to get close enough to hear what they are saying. A part of him hopes that the general will want to know information that he has, but the men ignore him. The general gives orders to a messenger, who rides off. After a while, the general becomes excited because he finds out that the troops have successfully held the enemy off.

Chapter 7

Upon hearing the news that their side was victorious, the youth feels betrayed and ashamed of himself. He looks out towards the battle just to be sure, and can hear cheering. The youth tells himself that he only ran because he was certain that they were going to be overwhelmed and killed. In his mind, he defends his actions. However, when he remembers his comrades he becomes bitter. When he fled, he experienced a sense of enlightenment, and was sure that everyone else who was staying were fools. Now that he has been proved wrong, he worries about what his comrades will say back at camp, that they will make fun of him.

Turning away from the area of the battle, the youth moves deeper into the woods. He wants to get away from all the noises and the shame. The trees become so dense he has trouble walking through the brush and doesn't truly care where he goes as long as it is away. Eventually the sounds of musket and cannon fire fade away, and he hears only the sounds of birds, insects and animals in the forest. The landscape calms the youth. He sees a squirrel and throws a pine cone at it. When the squirrel runs away from the threat, he tells himself that it was only natural for him to run, as well.

He keeps going deeper and deeper into the woods, passing a swampy area and eventually ducking to go under an arch of trees. When he passes through, he is horrified to find himself face to face with a dead soldier. The dead man's uniform was once blue, but has faded to an ugly green, and his skin is gray and crawling with ants. The youth shrieks and freezes, staring at the dead man leaning against the tree. He retreats slowly back through the trees, fearing that the body will come back to life at any second. When he is far enough away he sprints and runs until he is breathless, and pauses. Everything is quiet, and all he can hear is the sound of the trees.

Chapter 8

A clamor of sounds breaks the silence of the twilit forest. The youth stops, transfixed by the noises. He hears musketry and artillery and in his mind imagines all the possibilities of what is happening in the battle. Suddenly, he begins running in the direction of the noises. A part of him realizes that it is ironic, him running towards the battle when he tried so hard to run away from it. He wants to see what is happening, though, and plows on.

The forest sounds are fading, and the noise of the battle intensifies. The youth thinks that it sounds different from the battle he was in, grander, and begins to imagine some supernatural battle in the air. During his battle, he thinks he and his comrades took everything too seriously, as if they were the only ones who could win the war. The images in his mind continue to build as he runs, and the trees and brush are hard to get through. The youth gets frustrated at nature and thinks to himself that the trees are trying to kill him. Still intent on finding the battle, he moves around the obstacles in his path.

Eventually, he sees smoke and hears the sound of cannons. The youth stands still, awestruck, and goes ford, intensely curious. He hops over a fence and finds several dead soldiers and dropped belongings. Here, the youth feels as if he is invading the territory of the dead and begins walking away. He comes to a road and sees some troops marching. The men are wounded. Some are cursing, some laughing, and some singing. Others are angry, sullen, or silent.

The youth joins the crowd and begins marching alongside them. The march is occasionally interrupted by messengers and batteries. One man in tattered clothing walks beside the youth. He is quiet and looks around him as if awestruck by everything he sees. After a time, the tattered soldier tries to talk to the youth about the battle. The youth ignores him, but the man continues talking in a gentle voice. The youth notices he is bleeding from two wounds. When the man asks the youth where he is hit, the youth stammers in embarrassment and runs until he is out of sight of the man.

Chapter 9

The youth falls back until the tattered soldier is out of sight. He realizes that everyone around him is wounded and feels conspicuous. He glances around to make sure no one is watching him. A part of the youth is envious of the soldiers who are wounded, and he briefly wants a "red badge of courage" for himself. Beside the youth, a gray faced man is walking forward resolutely. He looks as if he is on his last leg, and some of the other soldiers try to ask about him.

The youth starts because he recognizes the dying man as Jim from his regiment. He calls out Jim's name, and Jim, calling him Henry, holds out a gory hand. He talks incoherently about the battle and getting shot. Seeing that the soldier has someone looking after him, the other soldiers quiet down. Jim walks while gripping the youth's arm and talking to him. He is afraid of being run over by the heavy artillery, and the youth promises to take care of him.

The rambling gets more and more incoherent, and Jim wants comfort from the young soldier. Here, the youth stammers and can't answer Jim. After that, Jim stops leaning on the youth and walks away. The youth follows, not knowing what else to do. He feels a hand on his shoulder and looks back to see the tattered soldier. The soldier says that there is a battery coming and to get Jim out of the road. He can't move fast enough and will probably be run over.

The youth coaxes Jim off the road and turns back to the man, before hearing some of the other soldiers should that Jim is running away. Stunned, the youth turns to see Jim struggling through the grasses, and the youth and the tattered soldier follow. When they try to ask him where he's going, Jim tells them to leave him alone. They follow at a distance, watching him.

Eventually, Jim stands still as if he has finally found the place he has been looking for. His chest begins to heave, and the youth cries out his name over and over. Jim stiffens and begins to convulse, falling to the ground. Unable to do anything, the youth is frantic. After Jim is dead, the youth looks inside his jacket and sees a horrible gaping wound. He becomes angry and turns towards the battlefield, beginning to curse.

Chapter 10

The tattered man is dumbfounded, and wonders where the dying man got the strength to go as far as he did. The youth sits down and begins to brood and the tattered man tries to shake him out of his reverie. He tells the youth that the soldier is dead and that they need to look out for themselves. The youth looks up and notices that the tattered man's pallor has changed and become bluer.

Alarmed, he asks the man if he is going to die, as well. The man says he isn't, and wishes for soup and a warm bed. They both gaze at the corpse, and the youth gets up. They leave, walking silently side by side. Eventually, the tattered man says he is feeling bad, and the youth asks him again if he is going to die. He says he isn't, and begins talking about one of his war buddies named Tom, a neighbor from back home who distracted him. The tattered man blames him for getting him shot, and says he can't walk much further.

The man once again asks the youth where his injuries are and says if they are internal not to take them too lightly. Angry, the youth yells at the man to go away and says goodbye. Confused, the tattered man tries to go after him, but his wits have slowed and his speech is slurring. The soldier calls the youth Tom, thinking he is his neighbor. The youth hops a fence a run away, looking back once to see the man wandering lost in the field. Bitter, the youth wishes he was dead. The tattered man's questions cut through him like a knife, and he feels ashamed.

Chapter 11

The sounds of battle are coming back, and Henry comes across the roadway. It is now full of men and wagons, and everyone is yelling over each other. There is a sense of fear about the group, and the youth is relieved to see them retreating. He takes a sort of pleasure in watching them run around like desperate animals. Through the chaos, a calm column of infantry soldiers makes their way through. They are heading back towards the battle, and it is obvious that they intend to fight.

Seeing their bravery and steadfastness, the youth plunges back into despair. He longs to be like them and thinks that they must all be heroes. He pictures himself as a mighty warrior, strong and fast, killing enemies left and right. His death is magnificent, and everyone will talk of his bravery. These thoughts make him feel better, and he gets the sudden urge to join the infantry and fight alongside them. Thinking, he realizes that he has no weapon and that he would have to go find his own regiment to fight with.

These thoughts bring him back to reality, and he no longer is able to see himself as a hero. Along with his return from daydreaming, he realizes that he is incredibly hungry. He is also thirsty, grimy, and aches all over. When he tries to walk, he struggles and realizes that his vision is blurry. Up until now, he was too caught up in his conflicting emotions to pay attention to his body, and now he gives up all hope of ever being a hero.

Stubborn, the youth stays near the battle field, wanting to see everything he can. He doesn't know which side is winning, and this bothers him. He begins to think of the future for the first time and goes through his different options. If his side loses the fight, then his retreat won't be too dishonorable. In fact, he might be thought of as particularly smart or perceptive. If they won, however, he would be lost. He tries to stop thinking about the problem and tells himself that he can’t root against his own side for purely selfish reasons.

Once again, he wishes he were dead so he wouldn't have to deal with anything anymore. Grimly, he speculates that some of the dead men were killed before they could run, but in death they will still be hailed as heroes. He imagines going back to his regiment, and them all taunting and laughing at him.

Chapter 12

A group of men are running towards the youth, terrified and desperate. Behind them, the youth sees smoke rising up above the trees. He puts aside his mental struggles and deduces that the fight must have been lost. Realizing this, he gets the irrational urge to sing a battle hymn. Instead, the youth tries to find out what is going on and begins asking the running men questions. They act as if he doesn't exist, and finally the youth clutches a man's arm to try and get him to stop long enough to answer his questions. The man is wild-eyed and yells at the youth to let him go. When the youth refuses, the man bashes him over the head with his rifle and runs away.

The youth sinks to the ground and struggles to get back up. Groaning, he gets on his hands and knees before standing shakily upright. He contemplates finding a soft place to fall and touches the wound on his head. When he sees blood on his fingers, he decides to focus on something else.

Nearby officers are trying to keep order, and he hears guns. Deciding he doesn't want to be near the battle anymore, the youth walks away into the darkness. He looks behind, but all he sees are fire and shadows. The road is empty now, and the youth moves slowly so as not to get too dizzy. He fixates on the pain of his wound to keep him going. Soon though, his walk slows to a shuffle and he thinks about lying down to sleep.

He hears a friendly voice beside him asking if he is okay. The man pulls him up and helps the youth to walk. The youth, leaning on him, listens to the man talk. The man finds out what regiment the youth is from and begins talking about the days' battle. Most of the troops saw combat, and the man watched as one of his close friends died. They come to a place where the forest is buzzing with activity and the man points to a fire and tells the youth that is where his regiment is. After seeing the youth safe back to his camp, the man clasps his fingers and walks away, whistling cheerfully. The youth, even in his muddled state, is grateful for the man's kindness. Too late, he realizes that he never even saw the man's face.

Chapter 13

The youth moves towards the fire and thinks about how his comrades will welcome him. He wants to go hide in the darkness, but his body is aching and hungry and he's too weak to hold out anymore. On the ground, the youth sees men sprawled out on the ground. He moves forward and is suddenly stopped by a gun barrel. Wilson is holding the gun, and once he finds out it is Henry he welcomes him back. They all thought he was dead, and are relieved to see him alive.

The youth loses the strength to stand and makes up a story to tell Wilson. He says he got separated and later shot in the head. Wilson goes to get help, and Henry is led to the fire to wait. His friend comes over to the fire to get a look at the wound. He deduces that the youth has been grazed by a cannon because there is a big lump on his head. He leaves, and the youth gazes into the fire. Men are sleeping everywhere, in all sorts of positions. An officer is asleep against the tree with his mouth open, and occasionally men stir.

After a time, his friend comes back to fix up the wound. He offers Henry coffee, which tastes delicious. After he has drunk his fill, his friend binds up his head with a makeshift bandage made out of a handkerchief. He gives him his blanket and puts him to bed. The youth realizes that his friend will have nowhere to sleep since he has the blanket, and says so, but is told to shut up and get some rest. The youth drifts off to sleep.

Chapter 14

The youth wakes up just as the sun is rising. It is still chilly outside, and in the distance drums can be heard. Around him, he sees the still figures of the sleeping men. For an instant, he is convinced that they are all dead, and he is in the middle of a graveyard. He worries that they will come back to life and try to kill him to. Before he gets too scared, he hears other noises and turns to see his friend tending the fire.

Suddenly, he hears loud drums and bugles coming from the direction of the woods. The men around him begin to stir, and his friend asks him if he is alright. When the youth says he feels pretty bad, his friend starts checking his bandages. He is not good at it, and soon the youth gets angry telling him to be gentler. His friend doesn't take it personally, and they go get food by the fire where a tall soldier is giving out rations of broth and meat. The youth notices that his friend, who was loud and boastful before the fighting started, is now calm and purposeful.

The two begin talking, and his friend asks what he thinks their chances are. Henry points out that before the battle started, he would have claimed to be able to win the war himself. His friend laughs and admits sadly that he was a fool to think that. He overheard the generals talking about how the enemy is right where they want them and is hopeful about the battle. Henry tells him that he thought they did terrible yesterday and gives him the news that Jim is dead.

Over at another fire, a few men begin arguing, and it looks like a fight is about to break out. Henry's friend goes and calms them down and comes back to his own fire. He tells the youth that during the battle over half the regiment disappeared, but they kept trickling back during the night. They had been scattered throughout the woods and fighting with other regiments, just like Henry.

Chapter 15

The regiment is ready to march. As he is standing waiting for the order to move, Henry remembers the packet of envelopes Wilson gave him the day before, when he thought he was going to die during the fight. He calls out Wilson's name, then at the last second decides not to mention the letters. The envelope in his jacket pocket is proof that his friend was cowardly, and gives the youth a sense of power over him. His pride returns to him, and he recalls all those who he saw running away the previous day with scorn, convincing himself that he ran away with dignity.

His friend, blushing with shame, asks for his letters back. Henry reaches into his jacket and hands the envelope back to his friend. He wants to say something witty or clever, but can't think of anything. Because he gave them back without acting condescending, Henry tells himself that he is more virtuous than most, who would have made fun of Wilson's weakness. His mind wanders to the future, when he will return home a war hero and have exciting stories to tell his mother and any pretty woman who might listen.

Chapter 16

The regiment goes to relieve another group who has been in the trenches all night. While waiting their turn, the youth's friend sleeps with his head in his arms. The youth can't sleep, although he feels exhausted still and looks out over the trench into the woods. He can't see far because of the smoke and the trees. The noise of muskets and cannon fire is continuous, and eventually gets so loud that it is hard to even talk. The youth tries to make a joke, but no one hears him.

Eventually, the guns stop and the men are disheartened. Their regiment is disordered as they march out of the trenches, accepting their defeat. Sometimes through the trees they can see the enemy lines, and this enrages Henry. His friend tells him wearily that hey lost the battle, and the youth begins ranting about how bad the general is and how they keep being moved from place to place with no purpose. Wilson halfheartedly defends the general, but the youth continues in his rant.

They hear fighting again, and the regiment is stopped in a clearing. They form lines and get ready to face the enemy that is approaching them. The sun is all the way up in the sky, and the men are anxious. The youth can't stop complaining about how badly the regiment is run, and eventually the lieutenant comes over and tells him to shut up. The sounds of battle get closet, and the men, tensed, wait for the enemy to appear.

Chapter 17

The youth becomes enraged at the approaching enemy. He wants time to rest and think because he is sore and hungry. It seems to him that the other force never gets tired or has to rest, and he resents them for being so relentless in chasing the troops across the battlefield. The youth leans over to his friend and remarks that they better not chase them anymore, or there will be trouble. Wilson replies that if they lose any more ground they will be in the river. Hearing this, the youth's rage is stoked. He looks wild and unkempt and grips his rifle.

Getting into position to fight, the youth feels like the enemy is taunting him. There are glimpses of them between the trees, and the regiment begins firing. A wall of smoke is created, and the youth thinks all the men look like animals in a pit. He loses himself in a battle fury and can't think of anything but hate. He is not conscious of anything else, even standing or firing. He falls and thinks for a second he has been shot, but pushes the thought out of his mind and begins fighting again.

Henry positions himself behind a tree and vows to hold it no matter what. He loses all sense of direction except the location of the enemy and keeps firing. Soon, the enemy starts to fall back. The youth, triumphant, goes forward. He is not aware that there is a lull in the fighting until a voice tells him to stop shooting because there is nothing left to shoot at. Surprised, the youth looks up and realizes everyone else has stopped fighting and is staring at him. He has a moment of shock and goes towards them, falling on the ground in exhaustion and reaching for his water. The lieutenant is boasting that if everyone fought like he did they would win the entire war in a week.

All his comrades look awestruck, and Wilson asks him if he is alright. The youth says nothing is wrong and realizes that he was acting like a devil. Because of how the others are looking at him, he feels as if he has earned the status of hero. The regiment begins rejoicing at their success but farther off there are still sounds of fighting.

Chapter 18

The soldiers have a short rest. One of them has been shot in the chest and is on the ground thrashing and screaming. Everyone else is hesitant to help the wounded man, and he curses them. Wilson wants to go find a stream and Henry goes with him. After searching for a while, they give up and start retracing their steps. On their way back, they can see the lines of battle better. Their troops are organizing into groups, and the roadway is full of retreating men.

They come across a general, and a commander talking, and try to get close to hear what they are saying. The enemy is getting ready for another charge, and the commander isn't sure that they can hold them off a second time. He asks the general if he has any troops to spare, and the general says he can spare regiment 304, the youth's regiment. They talk strategy and depart, but before he leaves the commander tells the general that he probably won't get many of them back since the fighting will be so tough.

Henry and Wilson look at each other, scared, and go back to their regiment. Although they were only gone a short time, Henry feels as if he has aged immensely. The way in which the general talked about them, as if they were tools and not human beings, made the youth feel extremely insignificant. The lieutenant yells at them for taking too long before realizing that something is the matter. Wilson blurts out that they are going to be ordered to charge, and the lieutenant is happy to see some real fighting. The men clamor around and ask questions.

A few minutes later they see two men riding up. The officers begin getting the men back in order, and the youth looks at his friend. They nod to each other and mentally prepare themselves to go back into battle, even though they know that the chances of surviving are slim.

Chapter 19

The regiment begins to move, and the youth begins running, taking the lead. They are heading towards a group of trees where the enemy is waiting. In the forest, their tight configuration is broken up and men begin running in small groups. Shells are falling all around, and one lands in the middle of a small group. Another group falls, riddled with bullets.

The youth has a rush of adrenaline and can see everything in detail. The men rushing forward are cheering insanely and have taken on a mob mentality. Soon, though, they can't keep up their pace and slow down. Some of the soldiers begin to hesitate, as if being out of breath affects their courage. They cease advancing and hear the sound of muskets. Soldiers fall in their midst, and the group sits still, dazed.

Suddenly the lieutenant is in their faces cursing and telling them to get moving. He goes forward, and Wilson is aroused. He fires a shot into the cluster of trees, and the others follow his example. They begin moving forward again, slower, taking time to load and fire in the direction of the enemy. Soon they come to an open space and stop again, afraid to cross without any protection of trees. The lieutenant becomes angry and tells them to move or die. He tries to grab the youth and drag him, and the youth tells the lieutenant to go ahead himself.

They begin to run, the youth sprinting as fast as he can across the clearing. He keeps an eye on the flag when he sees the man holding it get shot and die still standing. His comrades try to get the flag away, but the corpse won't let go. Finally they get it, and the body falls to the ground.

Chapter 20

During the fight in the clearing, many of the regiment left only to come back. They retreat slowly, the lieutenant angry and telling everyone to shoot. The youth and his friend are both grasping the flag and fight over it. Finally, the youth pushes his friend away and grabs it.

The regiment retreats back into the trees and begin marching back. After tasting defeat, the men are discouraged. A few are still shooting, but not many. The youth goes forward uncertainly, his dreams of glory collapsed with the regiment. He turns his anger and hatred towards the general who treated them as mere tools, and is mad he could not prove them wrong. He holds the flag erect and tries to keep the men going, but it is useless. They leave wounded men on the ground crying for help.

The smoke lifts up, and suddenly the regiment is attacked again. The youth panics, thinking that they will never escape. Other soldiers, too, are in hysterics.

The group is buffeted by bullets, and Wilson comes over and says goodbye to Henry. The youth tells him to shut up and walks into the middle of the mob to take a stand. Men are hiding from the onslaught of bullets, and the lieutenant is not even shouting anymore. The enemy soldiers come at them directly, and the youth can see their faces and new uniforms. The smoke soon makes it hard to see again, and the two groups exchange blows.

The regiment keeps moving forward slowly, and the opposing blows begin to weaken. The regiment stays still and once they realize they won begin dancing with joy. Along with their victory, their pride as men has been restored.

Chapter 21

There is no more firing in their clearing, although there are battle noises around them. The soldiers are relieved and get ready to finish their trip. On the way back, they experience an array of emotions, including fear and anxiety. Other soldiers who see them retreating taunt them, bringing their spirits down. The youth in particular is stung by the other soldiers' remarks.

When they get back to their old position, the youth is shocked to realize that they didn't travel far. The soldiers sit down and begin gulping down water, and Henry thinks about what happened. The officer from before returns and begins arguing with the lieutenant, calling their troops a failure. They were supposed to be a diversion, but they didn't go far enough to do any good. The lieutenant defends his men, saying they did as well as they could. Meanwhile, the men nearby are listening in and circulating the news. They are angry at the colonel because they did their best, and Wilson and Henry both agree that the colonel has no sense.

Several men hurry up to Wilson and Henry, interrupting their conversation. They overheard the colonel and lieutenant talking, and the colonel wanted to know who the young boy was carrying the flag. The lieutenant told him it was Henry, and that he and Wilson were leading the charge the whole time. The colonel said that they out to be promoted to major-general. The boys think they are joking, but when it becomes clear that it isn't a joke they are so happy they forget all about dissing the colonel and the lieutenant.

Chapter 22

The enemies appear in the woods once again. The youth is confident and smiles at the men dodging bullet and shells desperately. Now that he is not blinded by battle rage, he can see the larger fight more clearly. There are two regiments fighting two other regiments, oblivious to everything else. There is a large brigade trying to force the enemy out of the woods, and a line of guns forming for attack. Eventually the enemy begins to retreat, and the regiment is still, waiting.

Without warning gunshots are heard from the wood. The noise soon becomes a roar, and the enemy, a desperate mob of men, run forward. His regiment is fierce, and at being shot immediately shoot back. Their skin is black from all the gunpowder and smoke. The lieutenant is cursing again, giving the men courage. The youth, still holding the colors, is totally absorbed in the battle.

Another line of enemies advance and the regiment immediately begins fending them off. There were no orders given, but they recognized the threat and took action. They are holding their ground, and the youth resolves not to give up his spot. During the battle, many are wounded. The soldiers begin to fall rapidly, and the youth looks for his friend. He finds him smeared with gunpowder still going strong. He realizes that their gunfire is becoming weaker.

Chapter 23

The officers try to convince the colonel that they have to charge if they want to survive. The youth, overhearing them, does his own mental calculations. He realizes that they are right, and that if they don't want to die they need to reclaim the fence. He looks at his companions and sees that they agree. The regiment has a new force and being running forward in a last display of strength. The youth stays in front, holding the flag high. He focuses intensely, thinking that when they take over their part of the fence it will have a domino effect, inspiring other regiments to do the same.

Most of the soldiers in gray flee, but one group refuses to move. The groups begin fighting directly, and the youth looks for the enemy flag thinking to get it. He leaps for it and sees that the color bearer has been shot several times and, although he is dying he tries to get away. Wilson springs at him and wrenches the flag from his grasp before the other bearer dies and there is wild cheering.

After the battle, they have four of the enemy as prisoners. Each prisoner reacts differently; one curses, one talks pleasantly, one sulks, and one is totally silent. Henry and Wilson sit down in the grass and congratulate each other.

Chapter 24

The sounds of war are weakening, and the sound of musket fire is almost gone. After the constant stress of battle, the youth feels deadened and wonder what will come next. His friend thinks that they will head back towards the river back to the main camp. Sure enough, the orders come down to their regiment to go back, and the men get up, groaning at their aching bodies.

They march, joining other regiments until they are a large brigade heading back towards the river. As they are walking away, the youth looks back at the battle ground and is satisfied and relieved. He tells his friend that it is finally over, and they lapse into quiet reflection. It takes a while for the youth to remember how he thought before the battle, because his mind has been in a state of tension for so long. Eventually, however, he regains his former frame of thought and realizes that he has experienced the heat of battle and come out alive.

He begins to reflect on his actions during the battle. Only his heroic deeds were witnessed by his comrades, and for this he is proud and able to think of himself as a war hero. A small voice in his head, however, ruins this by mocking him for running away. His thoughts turn to the dying soldier he left wandering in the field, and he feels reproach so strongly he lets out a small cry of pain. His friend wants to know what is wrong, but the youth just swears. Thinking of how cruel he was in that instance ruins his heroic deeds, and he is afraid that the terror will stay with him forever.

To take his mind off it, the youth argues with his friend about battle plans and rumors. After a while, he is able to put his sin behind him, and he realizes that he despises battle. He feels manlier, and his soul has been forever changed from his experiences, both good and bad. It begins to rain, and the soldiers complain as they slog through the mud. The youth, however, is happy. He experienced battle and lost his humanity for a while in the process, but he came out alive. He looks around him at the sky and trees, and thinks of how glorious nature, and indeed the whole world, remains.