In the late eighteen-hundreds, Johnny is about sixteen and orphaned, living in Chicago. He is a really good fighter, which works in his favor, getting him jobs as entertainment in bars. But then his manager tells him to lose a fight on purpose and he refuses. Now his life is at risk and he goes on the run.
By chance, Johnny ends up sitting at the counter of a cafe in St. Louis next to an army recruiter. The man says such good things about life in the army that Johnny lies about his age and joins up that very day. But army life isn't quite what he had imagined.
First he is confused and nobody will tell him what he is supposed to do or how he is supposed to act. When the older and more experienced men try to take his clothes, he gets into a fight and gets into trouble with his commanding officer. He is all set to desert the army and go on the run again when he is transferred out west to fight against the Indians with General Custer's band of men.
This book gave me a taste of what life was like in these times, and of how confusing joining the army would be for a kid like Johnny. I liked that Johnny acted his age and that he didn't really want to kill anyone, even though he had joined the army. I didn't like that Johnny brought up the issue of unfairness to Indians, but then just went along with killing them.
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