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The Battle of Chancellorsville in northern Virginia 1863 is one of the bloodiest 24,000 casualties of the war between the states, the focus of this novel. Henry Fleming a naive restless farm boy not yet a man from New York State, goes off to fight during the American Civil War. Against the tearful pleading of his widowed mother not to, Henry out of patriotism or boredom wants to join the Union Army. Many months pass of training and marching before Fleming gets into action. Some of his friends, boys he grew up with are in the 304th regiment with him. Camp life is very harsh living mostly in dirty tents little food and nothing to do, unsanitary living conditions, the constant marching to different sites; the veterans call the newcomers "Fresh Fish". Wondering if he'll be brave or a coward in the conflict dominates his thoughts, finally the youth sees the ugly war. The charging yelling mobs of rebels from out of the woods brings fear to his very soul and Fleming caring little about glory, his friends or the regiment runs away , runs like the little boy he really is only just wants to survive...Meeting many wounded soldiers in the back of the line. Some who will not live long, including his close friend who Fleming watches fall mortally down on the ground, they ask him uncomfortable questions where was he hit ?...Leaving them as fast an unobtrusively as possible, wandering around aimlessly Henry heads for a nearby forest trying to get away from the savage war. The sounds of brutal battle are muted by the trees only a short distance from the struggle, as if all the world was a peaceful quiet place, a sanctuary for him to calm his shaky nerves. But Henry can't get far from reality, a Union soldier propped up against a tree stares with his dead eyes at the miserable deserter. An insect crawling over his ghastly face, Henry decides to get back to his regiment yet ironically is hit in the head, with a rifle butt by a vicious man fleeing in a blue uniform, Fleming was in the way, causing blood to flow freely...
His desired " Red Badge of Courage"... Arriving home helped by an unknown soldier nobody had noticed his cowardliness they thought he was dead, bandaged his "war wound". Next day another scrimmage Fleming feels different, comradeship with his fellow soldiers close as brothers now Henry never experienced such emotions before, even leads the charge has he become a man ?