‘The Red Badge of Courage’ is Stephen Crane’s second book and masterpiece, notable for its realism and the fact that Crane had never personally experienced battle. 
The manuscript was first serialised in December 1894 by
The Philadelphia Press and quickly won Crane international acclaim before he died in June 1900 at the age of 28.
‘The Red Badge of Courage’ follows a young soldier, Henry Fleming, during a battle in the Civil War. Henry has joined the Union army because of his romantic ideas of military life, but soon finds himself in the middle of a battle against a regiment of Confederate soldiers. Terrified, Henry deserts his comrades. Upon returning to his regiment, he struggles with his shame as he tries to redeem himself and prove his courage.