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The Red Badge of Courage
The Red Badge of
Courage
An Episode of the American Civil War
Stephen Crane
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The Red Badge of Courage
CHAPTER I。
THE cold passed reluctantly from the earth； and the retiring fogs
revealed an army stretched out on the hills； resting。 As the landscape
changed from brown to green； the army awak… ened； and began to tremble
with eagerness at the noise of rumors。 It cast its eyes upon the roads；
which were growing from long troughs of liquid mud to proper
thoroughfares。 A river； amber… tinted in the shadow of its banks； purled
at the army's feet； and at night； when the stream had become of a
sorrowful blackness； one could see across it the red； eyelike gleam of
hostile camp… fires set in the low brows of distant hills。
Once a certain tall soldier developed virtues and went resolutely to
wash a shirt。 He came flying back from a brook waving his garment
bannerlike。 He was swelled with a tale he had heard from a reliable
friend； who had heard it from a truthful cavalryman； who had heard it
from his trustworthy brother； one of the order… lies at division headquarters。
He adopted the important air of a herald in red and gold。 〃We're goin' t'
move t' morrahsure；〃 he said pompously to a group in the company street。
〃We're goin' 'way up the river； cut across； an' come around in behint 'em。〃
To his attentive audience he drew a loud and elaborate plan of a very
brilliant campaign。 When he had finished； the blue…clothed men scattered
into small arguing groups between the rows of squat brown huts。 A
negro teamster who had been dancing upon a cracker box with the
hilarious encouragement of twoscore soldiers was deserted。 He sat
mournfully down。 Smoke drifted lazily from a multitude of quaint chim…
neys。
〃It's a lie！ that's all it isa thunderin' lie！〃 said another private loudly。
His smooth face was flushed； and his hands were thrust sulkily into his
trousers' pockets。 He took the matter as an affront to him。 〃I don't
believe the derned old army's ever going to move。 We're set。 I've got
ready to move eight times in the last two weeks； and we ain't moved yet。〃
The tall soldier felt called upon to defend the truth of a rumor he
himself had intro… duced。 He and the loud one came near to fight… ing
over it。
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The Red Badge of Courage
A corporal began to swear before the assem… blage。 He had just put a
costly board floor in his house； he said。 During the early spring he had
refrained from adding extensively to the comfort of his environment
because he had felt that the army might start on the march at any moment。
Of late； however； he had been im… pressed that they were in a sort of
eternal camp。
Many of the men engaged in a spirited debate。 One outlined in a
peculiarly lucid manner all the plans of the commanding general。 He
was op… posed by men who advocated that there were other plans of
campaign。 They clamored at each other； numbers making futile bids for
the pop… ular attention。 Meanwhile； the soldier who had fetched the
rumor bustled about with much importance。 He was continually assailed
by questions。
〃What's up； Jim？〃
〃Th' army's goin' t' move。〃
〃Ah； what yeh talkin' about？ How yeh know it is？〃
〃Well； yeh kin b'lieve me er not； jest as yeh like。 I don't care a hang。〃
There was much food for thought in the man… ner in which he replied。
He came near to con… vincing them by disdaining to produce proofs。 They
grew excited over it。
There was a youthful private who listened with eager ears to the words
of the tall soldier and to the varied comments of his comrades。 After
receiving a fill of discussions concerning marches and attacks； he went to
his hut and crawled through an intricate hole that served it as a door。 He
wished to be alone with some new thoughts that had lately come to him。
He lay down on a wide bank that stretched across the end of the room。
In the other end； cracker boxes were made to serve as furniture。 They were
grouped about the fireplace。 A pic… ture from an illustrated weekly was
upon the log walls； and three rifles were paralleled on pegs。 Equipments
hunt on handy projections； and some tin dishes lay upon a small pile of
firewood。 A folded tent was serving as a roof。 The sunlight； without；
beating upon it； made it glow a light yellow shade。 A small window shot
an oblique square of whiter light upon the cluttered floor。 The smoke from
the fire at times neglected the clay chimney and wreathed into the room；
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The Red Badge of Courage
and this flimsy chimney of clay and sticks made end… less threats to set
ablaze the whole establishment。
The youth was in a little trance of astonish… ment。 So they were at
last going to fight。 On the morrow； perhaps； there would be a battle； and
he would be in it。 For a time he was obliged to labor to make himself
believe。 He could not accept with assurance an omen that he was about
to mingle in one of those great affairs of the earth。
He had； of course； dreamed of battles all his lifeof vague and bloody
conflicts that had thrilled him with their sweep and fire。 In visions he
had seen himself in many struggles。 He had imagined peoples secure in
the shadow of his eagle…eyed prowess。 But awake he had regarded
battles as crimson blotches on the pages of the past。 He had put them as
things of the bygone with his thought…images of heavy crowns and high
castles。 There was a portion of the world's history which he had regarded
as the time of wars； but it； he thought； had been long gone over the horizon
and had disappeared forever。
From his home his youthful eyes had looked upon the war in his own
country with distrust。 It must be some sort of a play affair。 He had long
despaired of witnessing a Greeklike struggle。 Such would be no more； he
had said。 Men were better； or more timid。 Secular and religious
education had effaced the throat…grappling in… stinct； or else firm finance
held in check the pas… sions。
He had burned several times to enlist。 Tales of great movements
shook the land。 They might not be distinctly Homeric； but there seemed
to be much glory in them。 He had read of marches； sieges； conflicts； and
he had longed to see it all。 His busy mind had drawn for him large pictures
extravagant in color； lurid with breathless deeds。
But his mother had discouraged him。 She had affected to look with
some contempt upon the quality of his war ardor and patriotism。 She
could calmly seat herself and with no apparent difficulty give him many
hundreds of reasons why he was of vastly more importance on the farm
than on the field of battle。 She had had certain ways of expression that
told him that her statements on the subject came from a deep con… viction。
Moreover； on her side； was his belief that her ethical motive in the
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argument was impregnable。
At last； however； he had made firm rebellion against this yellow light
thrown upon the color of his ambitions。 The newspapers； the gossip of
the village； his own picturings had aroused him to an uncheckable degree。
They were in truth fighting finely down there。 Almost every day the
newspapers printed accounts of a decisive victory。
One night； as he lay in bed； the winds had carried to him the
clangoring of the church bell as some enthusiast jerked the rope frantically
to tell the twisted news of a great battle。 This voice of the people
rejoicing in the night had made him shiver in a prolonged ecstasy of ex…
citement。 Later； he had gone down to his mother's room and had spoken
thus： 〃Ma； I'm going to enlist。〃
〃Henry； don't you be a fool；〃 his mother had replied。 She had then
covered her face with the quilt。 There was an end to the matter for that
night。
Nevertheless； the next morning he had gone to a town that was near
his mother's farm and had enlisted in a company that was forming there。
When he had returned home his mother was milking the brindle cow。
Four others stood waiting。 〃Ma； I've enlisted；〃 he had said to her
diffidently。 There was a short sil
