Summary

The short story “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by Ambrose Bierce begins with a man being prepared for execution at the Owl Creek Bridge. The man is about to be hanged. He observes all the military men who are on the bridge and near its surroundings, preparing to carry out the execution. The man, called Farquhar, starts thinking about his wife and children in his last moments, but he is distracted by a tedious and repetitive sound, which appears to come from his watch. Farquhar ponders on whether he can escape before the planks are removed, but the soldiers drop him from the bridge.

A flashback presents the reasons why Farquhar has come to be executed. Peyton Farquhar lived with his wife and children in Alabama, as the owner of a plantation and as a supporter of the Southern cause. As he could not join the army and fight for the South, he did everything in his power to help the cause – even dangerous and risk...