The Red Badge of Courage: An Episode of American Civil War, by Stephen Crane

The Red Badge of Courage: an Episode of American Civil War, by Stephen Crane

Henry was a teenage boy around the age of sixteen years old. He lived in New York City in the year 1893. The Civil War had started and Henry made his mind up that he wanted to fight in the northern army. Henry's mother tried very hard to persuade him not to enlist into the army. She told him old veteran's tales to try and scare him into not joining. Henry did not believe the old tales and his mother told him that she disapproved of him going but it was his decision. She told him that he didn't have to be a hero because she didn't want that to be the last time they saw each other.

When Henry joins the army, he is placed in the 304th regiment. Before long Henry is moved to where the action is going on and the he starts to second guess his decision about enlisting into the army. He thinks that they are being lead into death and he wants to share his thoughts but he does not because he is afraid that no one will understand and that they will scold him for thinking such nonsense. When they reached the rebel army and the battle began, Henry thought that he shouldn't have ever joined the army. As the two armies fought Henry just stayed back and watched. He was confused and frightened but he still had an overwhelming feeling to join the battle. He did not act on that feeling and he sat back and watched as his regiment won the battle.

After the first battle was over everyone regrouped. One of the soldiers, Wilson, gets so scared from the first battle he is sure that he is going to die and he gives all of his letter for his family to Henry. This almost made Henry's mind at ease because he now knew that other soldiers were having the same thoughts as him about the war. Then one day as they were lined up, marching, rumors started being spread about the confederate troops being nearby. The rumors turned into facts as smoke was seen ahead and bullets whizzed past them. There was a regiment in front of Henry's and they were beaten very badly and it was not a long time before that whole regiment was fleeing. By the time that the 304th regiment moved up to the confederate army it was an even fight.

Henry found himself with nowhere to run and with nothing else to do but fight. Somehow, he hung in and the enemies retreated and everyone relaxed. Then the rebels