The Red Badge of Courage starts out with a young man, Henry Fleming, wanting to enlist in the army to become a hero. His mother tries to discourage him from doing this, but when she sees that Henry is going through with it, she gives him her blessing. Henry joins his new regiment for the Union army and they wait around for their first battle of war. He befriends two fellow soldiers named Jim Conklin and a loud obnoxious soldier named Wilson. Jim Conklin, hears some rumors about their next movements by going around the enemy and attacking them from behind. A few days later, they start marching and they attack. Henry soon finds out he is scared and wishes he never enlisted in the army. This is the first battle for the regiment so a few soldiers, including Henry, desert the regiment. It states in the book that he believes a monster of war, a red and green dragon, will swallow him in the battle. After they desert, he finds a "tattered soldier" who talks to Henry about the battle and his wounds. Together, they find his friend Jim and find that he is severely wounded and later dies. Henry, who is overcome with guilt about deserting, wanders in the forest and gets in a fight with another lost soldier of the Union army who hits him across the head with the butt of his rifle causing Henry to bleed. By night, Henry, with the help of a "cheery soldier, find their way back to the regiment. Luckily, no one suspects Henry of deserting. Henry lies about his head wound and says it is from a bullet. During the night, Henry is cared for by his friend .
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Wilson. By morning, Henry is well rested and fights with his regiment several battles that day. Henry and Wilson are asked to get water for their fellow soldiers. They run into a General and tell them to get ready for battle, as many men will lose their lives. Henry and Wilson return to the regiment delivering the news. They do not tell the soldiers that this will be a fierce battle and many will die.
