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. It did not appear to be the duty of these two mento know what was occurring at the center of thebridge; they merely blockaded the two ends of thefoot planking that traversed it. Beyond one of the sentinels nobody was insight; the railroad ran straight away into a forestfor a hundred yards, then, curving, was lost toview. Doubtless there was an outpost fartheralong. The other bank of the stream was openground-a gentle slope topped with a stockade ofvertical tree trunks, loopholed for rifles, with asingle embrasure through which protruded themuzzle of a brass cannon commanding thebridge. Midway up the slope between the bridgeand fort were the spectators-a single companyof infantry in line, at "parade rest," the butts oftheir rifles on the ground, the barrels incliningslightly backward against the right shoulder, thehands crossed upon the stock. A lieutenant stoodat the right of the line, the point of his swordupon the ground, his left hand resting upon hisright. Excepting the group of four at the center of the bridge, not a man moved. The company facedthe bridge, staring stonily, motionless. Thesentinels, facing the banks of the stream, mighthave been statues to adorn the bridge. Thecaptain stood with folded arms, silent, observingthe work of his subordinates, but making no sign. Death is a dignitary who when he comesannounced is to be received with formalmanifestations of respect, even by those mostfamiliar with him. In the code of military etiquettesilence and fixity are forms of deference