Henry Fleming

Henry Fleming is the protagonist of the story. His age is not specified, but he is described as “old Henry.” He is a war veteran who has retired in his hometown, having served in the army as an orderly sergeant during the Civil War. Because of this, he is respected and frequently lauded by his community. In fact, the story opens with him telling one of his war stories to an enraptured audience. Henry looks at his war years with perspective and a sense of humor.

In “The Veteran,” it is made clear that Henry has established a tranquil and fulfilling life for himself. He is the patriarch of what is insinuated to be a large family. He owns land and livestock. His success is suggested by the large number of hired hands he employs, all of whom sleep under the same roof as him.

While he is frequently referred to in Crane’s The Red Badge of Courage as “the youth,” Henry is alluded to as “old man” or “old Fleming” in “The Veteran.” This change emphasizes the fact that he has grown from being the naive eighteen-year-old private in The Red Badge of Courage into a mature and sensible man with a family of his own. Despite his age, however, Henry has not entirely lost his idealism and youthful love for dramatics. This is apparent in the theatrical and exaggerated manner in which he recounts his war stories. He also delights in having captivated an audience. In fact, his idealism and sentimentality are what define Henry at the end of the story: Henry is unable to bear leaving the two colts in the barn to die in the fire. He is unable to resist rushing in, even if there is a great possibility of death.

Jimmie Fleming

Jim Fleming, or “Jimmie,” is Henry Fleming’s grandson. His parents do not appear in the story. It is possible that Jimmie Fleming was named after Jim Conklin, one of the soldiers in Henry’s regiment. Based on Jimmie’s interactions with Henry Fleming, it appears that the two are very close. Jimmie looks up to Henry and is troubled when the latter admits that he felt fear and ran during his first battle. He has childish and idealistic notions of violence and war. Jimmie’s distress over Henry’s revelations is something that Henry himself does not appear to notice.

Jim Conklin

Jim Conklin is one of Henry Fleming’s old war friends. He is described by Henry Fleming as one of the bravest men who went into battle with him. Although Jim does not appear in the story, Henry notes that he and Jim hail from the same village.

In Crane’s The Red Badge of Courage, Henry fights alongside Jim Conklin. Described in the novel as tall and larger than life, Jim is widely regarded by critics as a symbol of the romanticization of war. In “The Veteran,” when Henry praises Jim as someone who was “born to fight,” it is made clear that he values military heroism. In The Red Badge of Courage, Jim dies at a young age from refusing treatment for his bullet wound, traumatizing the then-eighteen-year-old Henry. However, when recounting his wartime memories, Henry does not mention this and instead chooses to sidestep the tragedy that befell his comrade.

The Swede

The Swede is a farmhand working for Henry who remains unnamed throughout the story. He only appears in the latter half of “The Veteran,” when he comes home from a night of drinking and accidentally sets fire to Henry Fleming’s barn. Although his presence in the story is limited, it is made clear that he is a clumsy and perhaps thoughtless person. Apart from causing the fire, he is also knocked to the ground when he collides with the panic-stricken cow Henry Fleming sets free. The fire is the Swede’s fault, but he contributes little to putting it out. The Swede is the one who brings the men’s attention to the fact that there were still two colts left at the back of the barn, a revelation that inadvertently leads to Henry’s death.