The Red Badge of Courage is the story of Henry Fleming, a teenager who joins the Union army because he is enamored with the romance of battle. When the actual fighting starts, Henry is worried that he'll run away. At the beginning of the Battle of Chancellorsville, in 1863, Henry fights, as a soldier must. But, during a lull in action, Henry's fear overcomes him and he runs from the field. He convinces himself to return, and as he does, he meets up with a group of wounded men from his regiment. Henry wishes for a wound--a red badge of courage--of his own.
An old family friend, Jim Conklin, or the 'Tall Soldier,' is among the wounded. Henry witnesses Jim's gruesome death, and he rushes away, into the midst of scared Union soldiers. One of them hits Henry in the head with a rifle, leaving him dazed and bleeding. Eventually, Henry returns to his regiment, where he finds the courage to fight, eventually capturing the Confederate flag and ensuring victory in the battle. By the end of the story, Henry has resolved to accept both parts of himself, his cowardice and his courage, because they make him who he is.