Henry's Tactics During The Civil War

Henry fled from the second battle because he did not fully understand the responsibility of being at war. He was just a boy trying to do what’s right. Angst and inner conflict welled within his conscience from participating in the first battle, but the lieutenant of his regiment filled his and his comrades’ spirit full of false security and bravery, making the first battle easier to bear.

In the first battle Henry fights along with all the soldiers because the captain told the regiment to hold the line as the enemy tried to push them off the land. He fought with his regiment and had won the battle.

Henry’s confidence does not last for a long time. The realities of the battle become a reality and cause his fear and doubt to reappear. Henry goes from being happy because he was able to fight the enemy in the first battle to being anxious at the beginning of a second

First, Henry might have been scared. He saw what happened in the first battle and it affected him in a way it didn't the others. This was the first time he fought in a war or battle with other men. He made friends with some of the soldiers in his regiment. If he stuck

When faced with adversities early into his first battle, he quickly reconsidered his views on war and courage. By running away from the face of battle, Henry “saw his vivid error, and he was afraid that it would stand before him all his life” (Cane 24.30).  This pushed him into believing that he would never be a man of courage of masculinity. This “error” of running away caused Henry to be angry at himself for mistakenly thinking the battle was over and abandoning his fellow soldiers. While away from the battle Henry discovers “that he had a scorching thirst” and “his body was calling for food” (Cane 11.21). From the struggle of war and the experience of Wilson, Henry learns to reflect upon his life and learn from his mistakes, rather than being angry at himself. This allowed Henry to be influenced by the culture around him, shaping him into acknowledging that courage was not depicted by a gunshot or a wound, but by the act of adhering to the line of duty and learning from your

When the men regroup for the second attack, many of the Union soldiers around henry begin to run away. Henry gives into the pressure and joins in the retreat, he wasn’t prepared for the horror that war brings. As he’s running, he seems to observe everyone else around him. He sees his captain lying stretched on the ground, dead, the babbling man was grazed by a shot to the head, and another man grunted as he was struck in the stomach, along with many others that just started dropping to the ground. As Henry ran, he feared for his life that he was going to be struck in the back, but he continued running. The thought of self-preservation seemed more important to him than fighting with selflessness and bravery along with the other

Some may argue that Henry is a coward because he ran away from the battle and Henry was scared. This viewpoint is incorrect because at the end of the book he took the flag and ran towards the front of the line. “Henry felt the subtle battle brotherhood more potent even than the cause for which they were fighting”(Crane, p.15). Henry felt anger when he fire a shot at the enemy. Henry pulled the flag out of the enemy line and puts his flag in the enemy line and wins the battle for his regiment. Henry wins the battle because of his bravery. Henry is a

Initially, Henry fears that he will run like a coward when faced with his first battle. He’s been in the army for a while now but hasn’t seen any action yet. Talking with the other men, he tries to get them to admit that they are scared as well. No one wants to say as much; they all seem perfect examples of fearless men, which leaves Henry feeling even worse about his own apprehension. Shortly before his first battle, he sees his first dead body, a gruesome corpse.

But the advance did not stop there. Much to their dismay, the Confederates charged again. This time, some of the weary and battered soldiers fled the battle scene afraid for their lives, Henry included. As the story deviates from the battle to Henry, the roars of war die down as well. After fleeing, Henry wandered about in a small forest, only to come across a clearing containing several horseback generals speaking excitedly to each other about the second victory. Ashamed with himself, Henry slowly walked back in the direction in which he came from, not wanting to face his regiment. But during his return trip, he discovered two things: a wounded procession of retreating soldiers and another large group of soldiers running away from something. After meeting and leaving the first group, Henry tried to stop one of the soldiers who was running, but the man, clearly in a hurry, brought up his rifle and whacked Henry over the head, causing him to let go, and stumble about, dazed and injured from the blow. At last, a soldier from his regiment discovered him, and slowly lead him back their camp, where he was given a blanket and a space in a tent to

During the second battle, Henry faced deep and overwhelming bouts of anxiety. He felt hopeless and though his best option was to leave the battle. In Chapter 6 page 41, Henry "seemed to shut his eyes and wait to be gobbled". He felt as if his sole efforts could not be demonstrated and his best option was to flee from his regiment. Henry felt

Moving closer to the battle, Henry, the rookie private with a lack of self-confidence and courage, starts thinking if he should run away from a battle or fight in the battle. With a lack of war experience, he feels insecure going to battle and does not know what to do. He starts to ask his fellow soldiers on their thoughts and opinions about running away from a battle as he felt cowardliness of doing so. He also asked one

Henry hated to be ridiculed so badly that he abandoned the poor man who only showed care and concern for Henry. A hero doesn't abandon a fellow soldier in desperate need of help. Henry tries to reassure his confidence by asking other soldiers how they would respond to battle. Jim Conklin honestly said that it depended on the circumstances, "but if everyone was a standing and a fighting, why, I'd stand and fight."(Crane Ch.1) When he asked Wilson, Wilson dismissed the notion of running from battle. Henry was trying to look for someone to relate to, but as a result of questioning his fellow soldiers he further isolated his insecurities of battle.

One main reason Henry stayed for the first battle was because he had expectations of grandeur. Henry naively thought that battles of war would be glorious. He believed he would prove himself a hero. The reason Henry fought in the first battle is because he had this belief in his heart.

“The Youth,” which Henry is referred to as, dreamt of glory in battle and being a hero (Crane 2). That is the reason why Henry enlisted himself; even though he told his comrades he was forced to be in the army. His mother’s farewell speech is ironic because he thought that she would give him a tearful and long speech, but all she really said was to “Watch out, and be a good boy” (4). She does not want Henry to be a hero even though that is what he went to war for. She told Henry that she will be fine if he does not return home. Henry tries to pull off being a confident and good soldier, while in the reality he is very nervous about what will happen in battle. Throughout the novel, he questions his courage and if he would run from battle. At an early battle, Henry continuously fires at the enemy line and feels like he is a courageous soldier. However, soon after this battle, another one erupts and Henry runs from it. This is

He described that he couldn’t escape even if he wanted to. Through this analogy, the reader can see that Henry is reducing the soldiers to unthinking, unfeeling machines, performing their duty without taking into account the threat of injury or death. As he looks around at the faces of the rest of the soldiers in his regiment, he notices their focused commitment to the firing of their rifles. He wonders if he is the only one faced with questions of morality. While the regiment began to advance, Henry was shocked to receive a packet of letters from Wilson, who feared he would die in battle. After the battle, he is glad that he made it through the first day. He begins to lose the romantic vision of war by seeing the realities, but he starts lying to himself about who is really is.