The Red Badge of Courage Chapter 10 Summary

  • "The Tattered Soldier," having witnessed Jim’s wild death, tries to talk to Henry about it: "Well, he was a reg’lar jim-dandy fer nerve, wa’n’t he?"
  • Henry desires "to screech out his grief. He [is] stabbed, but his tongue [lies] dead in the tomb of his mouth" (10.3) (Nice writing, there.)
  • Henry creeps away from Jim’s corpse, which "remain[s] laughing there in the grass" (10.14).
  • "The Tattered Soldier" tries to figure out where Henry’s injury is. (Remember, he fled battle and has no wound, therefore has no right to hang around with these men injured from battle.)
  • Henry want to leave him again, so he won’t be found out.
  • "The Tattered Soldier" is hurt by Henry’s desertion. He is also dying, keeps calling Henry "Tom Jamison," and begs him not to leave.
  • Henry sneaks away, though he suspects "the Tattered Soldier" will die when left to fend for himself.