The Influences Upon Which Lieutenant Bierce Wrote

Bierce wrote extensively on the subject of the American Civil War both in newspaper columns and in his stories with vivid similarities between his life. It seems that The Battle of Stones River and The Battle of Chickamuaga. He was also heavily influenced by General W.B. Hazen, with one of his stories playing remarkably close to the events of the Battle of Stones River where Hazen erected a monument in honour of his men. This was the only monument erected during the war.

Another influence aside from the war could possibly have been his Uncle Lucius. Lucius participated in the "liberation of Canada" himself and then later focussed on the abolition of slavery in southern America. In the words of Roy Morris Jr., "Colourful, combative Uncle Lucius was everything Bierce's father was not" and was the role model Bierce had been looking for.