143 pages4 starsHenry Fleming, a youth of indeterminate age, joins the Union Army. He has big dreams about both his ability and courage.When he gets to the front lines, reality sets in. Henry is to learn a great deal about himself and others. He is filled with conflicting emotions, brash and mouthy at once and then ashamed at another moment. If he takes his experiences to heart, he will be able to come out of this battle a man at last.This was a very difficult book for me to access. It seemed to drift without any direction at times. The personality of Henry was uneven and child-like. I wondered several times just how old he was. How much schooling had he had?It was clear that Mr. Crane had never seen war, much less the Battle of Chancellorsville. Was the average soldier actually as inept as Mr. Crane portrayed them? Were the officers really semi-crazed men shouting all the time? I’ve read many, many books about the Civil War that say otherwise. There are certainly occasions for shouting, but when the men are supposed to be “resting,” doesn’t seem like one of them.I gave this book four stars as a nod to the time in which it was written. I’m sure the authos of that time were not the mostly polished ones we read today.I’m glad I read this book, but overall found it somewhat disappointing.