The Red Badge of Courage
(Stephen Crane)

During the American Civil War, a Union regiment has been stationed near a river for some time. The soldiers are getting restless, and a tall soldier named Jim Conklin brings news one day that the regiment will be marching. This news sends the protagonist of the novel, Henry Fleming, into a fit of worry. He joined the army because he idealized tales of battle and glory, but the 304th regiment hasn't been in battle yet and he is afraid he might run away.

The regiment marches for several days until they reach the scene of the battle. By the time they get there, they are exhausted, but Henry is still curious. The 304th regiment successfully holds off an enemy charge, and Henry as well as the rest of the regiment celebrates. Soon after, the enemy makes a second charge and this time the soldiers aren't prepared. Henry freaks and runs, along with many of the new recruits. He tells himself that the men who stayed were fools, and that is only survival to run. When he overhears a general say that they held back the enemy, however, he is ashamed by his cowardice. He runs farther into the forest and eventually runs into the rotting corpse of a dead soldier, which unsettles him and sends him back towards the army.

He runs until he spots a retreating group of wounded soldiers and joins their ranks. He is jealous of their wounds and thinks that they are "red badges of courage", or proof of their bravery in battle. A tattered soldier asks him where he is wounded, and Henry runs off, embarrassed. He comes across a dying soldier who he later recognizes as Jim from his regiment. Jim runs off into the woods and Henry and the tattered soldier follow. Eventually Jim dies, and the tattered soldier starts following Henry, who ends up leaving him in a field where he will most likely die from his wounds.

Back at the road, he encounters a fleeing regiment. When he tries to ask what happened, he is hit in the head with a rifle. Dizzy and stumbling, he is helped by a stranger who takes him back to his regiment. Back at camp, Henry's friend Wilson thought he was dead and happily takes care of him. They sleep and wake up the next day with orders to fight again.

During his second battle, Henry loses himself in battle fury and impresses his lieutenant with his ferocity. After holding off another enemy attack, he and Wilson go to get water and overhear a general and captain talking about sending their regiment in to a dangerous area of battle. They insult the regiment's fighting ability, insinuating that they would only be useful as a distraction. Angered, Henry and Wilson return to camp and spread the news. Sure enough, they are sent back into battle. Henry and Wilson lead the charge, and Henry grabs the regiment's flag when the flag bearer dies. After they retreat, they are told the general thought they were the best fighters in the regiment.

In order to stay alive, the 304th regiment must reclaim the fence line from the enemy. During this skirmish, Henry holds the flag and Wilson succeeds in getting the enemy flag. They also catch four prisoners. After this victory, their regiment begins marching back to the river. Henry thinks about all that has happened, and glorifies his successes. His failures creep into his thoughts, however, spoiling his heroic effect. The tattered man in particular leaves Henry guilt ridden. He gets past it, however, and realizes that his experiences on the battlefield have made him a real man.