Synopsis: The Red Badge of Courage starts out with a new regiment of union soldiers, in the Civil War. Many of these soldiers are young men who do not have much knowledge about the world, and how it works. The main character, Henry Flemming, doubts how he will act during battle. The 304th regiment marches to battle, after a long stay near a river. When they arrive at their destination Henry's, known throughout the book as the young soldier, regiment is brought almost immediately into battle, and the young soldier is boxed in and cannot escape and run away. .
The next battle charge that the confederates organize is such a surprise that Henry is disoriented and afraid, and because of this he runs away from the battlefield. As he continues to retreat he tries to rationalize his retreat, and eventually sees it as the right decision, because the other soldiers were fools to stay behind and die. When he overhears a conversation, between a general and his messenger, he finds out that his regiment held out, and it was he who was wrong. Henry continues to wander, until he comes upon a line of wounded men marching to the hospital, and he finds out that one of his friends, Jim Conklin, is in the line. One tattered soldier, in the line, tries to make friends with the young soldier, but Henry is too preoccupied with his dieing friend. Henry and the tattered watch Jim die. Henry runs off, to leave the tattered man to die alone. Henry is then lead back to his old regiment, and finds that one of his friends, Wilson, tends to the young soldier. Wilson seems to be a whole new person, because he is now quiet and reserved. .
The next day, the regiment is led to another battle and the young soldier fights like a lion. After the battle, Wilson and Henry overhear a general's conversation and are insulted when the general says that his regiment fights like "mule drivers."" In their next battle, a charge up a hill, they try to make up for that insult.
