"An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge" was originally published by the in 1890 it is set during the American Civil War. It is the story of Peyton Farquhar, a Confederate sympathizer condemned to death by hanging from Owl Creek Bridge. The story starts with the protagonist standing bound at the bridge's edge. Later it is revealed that he was tricked by a disguised scout of the Union to demolish the bridge and he was caught in the act.
Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce (June 24, 1842 – circa 1914) was an American short story writer, journalist, poet, and Civil War veteran. Bierce's book The Devil's Dictionary was named as one of "The 100 Greatest Masterpieces of American Literature" by the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration. His story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" has been described as "one of the most famous and frequently anthologised stories in American literature"; and his book Tales of Soldiers and Civilians (also published as In the Midst of Life) was named by the Grolier Club as one of the 100 most influential American books printed before 1900. (Wikipedia)