Henry Fleming is the main character of The Red Badge of Courage. The story centers on him and his adventures. He is first interested in war as a romantic thing with the possibility of doing great things and becoming known as a hero. His mother is opposes the idea of him signing up for the Union Army, but he eventually signs up, without consent from his mother. He was shocked from her calm response, and instructions when he is saying his goodbyes.
Henry, referred to as "the youth" in the book, starts his enrollment in the army by having to wait a long time for battle. While in camp he wonders about his bravery when the time comes to actually fight in battle. He has his doubts, and ultimately decides he will just have to find out when the time comes.
Word is sent that the regiment he is in is called up for active duty. Henry and his friends, Jim Conklin(the tall soldier) and Wilson(the loud soldier), join the regiment in a long march to the front. On this march Henry probes for doubts of courage among his friends. Wilson is full of bravado and speaks of how hard he will fight. Jim's response is that the troop is new, but that they would all put up a good fight.
Henry gets taste of battle and finds that it wasn't too bad, because they had pushed back the rebel attack and no one had run. Previous to the battle Wilson suddenly has the idea he will surely die and gives Henry a packet. Wilson makes it through that first battle unscaved; the same is true for Jim.
Then the rebel army sent another wave and people around Henry begin to run. Henry, taken up in the fear, breaks too and runs. He dashes through the forest until he can barely hear musket fire. He settles down and thinks that he made the right choice to run because the whole regiment was certainly doomed to annihilation. Then he happens upon a general that is speaking for some officers. The general tells the officers that the line is holding well and it will win the battle.
