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

The Red Badge of Courage is a war novel by American author Stephen Crane. Taking place during the American Civil War, the story is about a young private of the Union Army, Henry Fleming, who flees from the field of battle. One hundred years ago, however, Stephen Crane set out to destroy these myths through his novel The Red Badge of Courage, which traces the experiences of a young soldier in the American Civil War. In ‘Red Badge, ‘ Crane calls war ‘the red animal — the blood-swollen god.’ He proves that any authentic war novel — in any country’s literature — is perforce an anti-war novel. For Crane fans, Ms. Davis describes the origins of his work in loving detail.