An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

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About this book

At a railroad bridge in northern Alabama, a bound civilian watches the water below while Federal soldiers wait in rigid silence. Peyton Farquhar, a planter devoted to the Southern cause, longs for a chance to distinguish himself in wartime. A visit from a soldier and talk of the nearby bridge give the account a second perspective on the tense opening scene.

Ambrose Bierce's short Civil War story brings the reader close to Farquhar's changing perceptions. A ticking watch grows painfully loud, drifting wood seems strangely slow, and leaves and insects acquire an extraordinary sharpness. The contrast between orderly military movements and one man's urgent sensations gives the narrative its unsettling force. Readers interested in compressed suspense and the experience of time under pressure will find both at the center of this brief work.

About the author

Ambrose Bierce

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) was an American journalist and author known for his sardonic wit, Civil War tales, and horror stories. He mysteriously vanished in Mexico around 1914.