Ambrose Bierce

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Ambrose Bierce

A man stood upon a railroad bridge in northernAlabama, looking down into the swift watertwenty feet below. The man's hands were behindhis back, the wrists bound with a cord. A ropeclosely encircled his neck. It was attached to astout cross-timber above his head and the slackfell to the level of his knees. Some loose boardslaid upon the ties supporting the rails of therailway supplied a footing for him and hisexecutioners-two private soldiers of the Federalarmy, directed by a sergeant who in civil life mayhave been a deputy sheriff. At a short removeupon the same temporary platform was an officerin the uniform of his rank, armed. He was acaptain. A sentinel at each end of the bridge stoodwith his rifle in the position known as "support,"that is to say, vertical in front of the left shoulder, the hammer resting on the forearm thrownstraight across the chest-a formal and unnaturalposition, enforcing an erect carriage of the body