Historically, what is the copyright date of this story? In terms of the contents of this chapter, why is the date an important factor to remember when reading?

The orginal copyright date of this novel was October 5, 1895.

Chapter Seventeen highlights the difference between the foot soldiers of the novel and the men who inhabit the upper command. Throughout the story there have been occasional complaints from the troops about the general's lack of ability. It is true historically that in the Civil War, the Union army suffered from poor leadership in its upper ranks throughout much of the war. This fact, however, is not crucial for Crane's story. What is important is that the commanders do not see the men as individuals, but as a fighting force. Remember, in 1895, the Civil War was modern history. Many survivors of the war were still alive and renditions were often eyewitness accounts.