This story by Ray Bradbury packs a lot of raw emotion, even though the “action” is limited to a single conversation that takes place over the course of no more than half an hour. A fourteen-year-old drummer boy who must march into battle with no gun or means of protecting himself is a bundle of nerves on the night before his first encounter with the enemy. An inspirational talk with his commanding general teaches him that his drum may be one of the most effective weapons in the army. Themes: isolation and loneliness, empathy, duty, fear, courage, death, honor.
Bradbury does not state the army (confederate or union) to which the boy belongs, possibly to emphasize the universality of the boy’s fear and the story’s message that every member of an army plays a crucial role and has the capacity to become its general when the General’s left behind.
Many commentators suggest that the story is based on famed union drummer boy John Clem, who later rose to the rank of brigadier general. If this is the case, it must be inspired by his legend because, as indicated in the link, it is highly unlikely that Clem participated in the Battle of Shiloh. Having said this, contextual clues suggest that Bradbury was alluding to a union drummer. The stated location (near Owl Creek not far from the church at Shiloh) was occupied by union soldiers on the night before the battle.
Original Text / PDF / Audio (2,000 words)