I've just read a book 《Red Badge of Courage》, summary follow up:

The buckground of this story was found in the American Civil War, what was fought from 1861 to 1865 between the North and the South of the United States of America. The two parts of the country were very different at that meantime. In the South, the main activity was farming. In the North, there were many big cities and factories. The war started when the states of the South wanted to leave the U.S.A.

This is the story of a young American soldier named Henry Fleming. When he is a boy, he dreams of going the war. He thinks that war is an adventure. He wants to be a hero.

Henry got up early one morning and went into town. He came back wearing a blue uniform. He belongs to a Northern regiment. The Battle in this book is like the Battle of Chancellorsville. That was fought in Virginia in May 1863. The war is seen through Henry's eyes, but he is like every other young soldier.

The soldiers leave the camp. They march along a road. A young soldier carries the flag. He is thinking about his first battle, and he is afraid. Another soldier says, "We're going to beat the enemy!" The soldiers move forward slowly into the woods. Suddenly, they hear a shot. An officer is hit in the hand. He begins to curse angrily. His wound hurts very badly.

Finally Henry thought calmer, "I was brave sometime. I faced death. I was afraid sometimes, but I didn't die of fear." He was now a man.