Ambrose Bierce 
Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge 

This classic short story of a Southern plantation owner facing execution by Union soldiers is “a flawless example of American genius” (Kurt Vonnegut). Alabama planter Peyton Farquhar was loyal to the Confederate cause. Now, as the Union Army overtakes the South, he is brought to the edge of a railroad bridge—hands tied behind his back—sentenced to hang for attempting to burn down the bridge on which he stands. As he ponders the events both large and small that brought him to this moment, Farquhar also contemplates a daring escape. First published in 1890, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge is one of the most celebrated short stories in American literature. Included in Ambrose Bierce’s anthology, Tales of Soldiers and Civilians, its unique structure and stream of consciousness style have inspired numerous adaptions and countless imitators.