Fifteen-year-old Charley, although not legally old enough to join the army, determines not to miss out on the “shooting war” (2) about to begin between the Union and the Confederacy. The thought of leaving home and donning a uniform sounds exciting, and Charley wants to prove himself as a man. He says goodbye to his mother, who packs him a bundle of food, and leaves his home of Winona, Minnesota, on foot for Fort Snelling. Enlisting in a location other than his hometown is Charley’s best chance at skirting the age requirement. Charley’s mother is reluctant to let him go, but the meetings and parades around town reassure her that the war will be over in a few months.

Charley registers for the volunteer army at Fort Snelling, and no one questions his age. Instead of a uniform, he is given black pants, a hat, and a red flannel shirt. In letters to his mother and younger brother Orren, he describes the poor quality of the food he is given. Inexperienced sergeants lead the volunteers in drills out of an army manual, and Charley grows bored as the weeks pass, suspecting that a battle may never come.