Discuss the representations of the American Civil War in
the stories of Ambrose Bierce.
Is there truth in the
stories?
How do the stories affect their audience?
What representations of the Civil War does Bierce present? How does this affect the current audience?
What has influenced Bierce to write these stories?/
In what way do the stories represent the American Civil War?
How has the wider community responded to these stories?
Why are the stories so dark and dismal?/
How do the stories affect their audience?
What representations of the Civil War does Bierce present? How does this affect the current audience?
What has influenced Bierce to write these stories?/
In what way do the stories represent the American Civil War?
How has the wider community responded to these stories?
Why are the stories so dark and dismal?/
Ambrose Bierce was an American journalist and short-story
writer who was born on 24th of June 1842. He disappeared in late 1913 or early
1914 after visiting some of the battlefields he fought at in his youth. He
wrote fictional stories detailing his experiences of war.
Bierce displays throughout his stories the idea of country
first, family second, and the recording of history third. The soldiers
are very patriotic and through this they make decisions that affect their
families in negative ways. This is because they believe in the greater nation and
the side for which they are fighting. When a big battle is fought, they think
only in the moment and do not think of national or personal futures. Emphasising
the need for survival. This idea conveys the ways in which people will act for
something they believe in and also to survive. The desperate actions present a
grim picture of the war.
Each story is conveyed through the point of view of a Union
soldier. This is significant as Bierce himself fought on behalf of the Union
and he was greatly affected by the War. His stories appear to promote the Union
side as they often portray the Confederates as the enemy. His purpose
therefore, appears to be to propagate the ideals of the Union government and
give honour to the states, as well as the fallen soldiers. These purposes are ironic,
as Bierce was a cynic and appeared sceptical towards society as a whole. The
following definitions emphasise the cynical nature of Bierce:
"Battle, n. A
method of untying with the teeth a political knot that would not yield to the
tongue."[1]
"Government, n.
A modern Chronos who devours his own children. The priest-hood are charged with the duty of preparing them for his
tooth."[2]
"War, n. A
by-product of the arts of peace. The most menacing political condition is a
period of international amity."
Major themes which influence the cynical nature of Bierce's
stories are his childhood and of course, his experiences during the American
Civil War. He did not care much for his family, as he believed himself to be
neglected. He disliked his brothers greatly, writing in a column about his
brother Aurelius who had died, "A life like this so bright and shining an
example that we are almost sorry he died."[3]
However, he did appreciate his father's library. He once mentioned that
"All that I have I owe to his books."[4]
suggesting that the library was a very heavy influence. His Uncle Lucius,
appears to have inspired Bierce to despise slavery. Under Lucius' guidance,
Bierce joined the Kentucky Military Institute.[5]
This education provided Bierce with knowledge about "draftmanship and
cartography".[6]
The War, in which Bierce used these skills, showed him the fragility of life
and the horrors which humans condemn each other. This is most often viewed as the central
cause of Bierce's cynicism. OR "All his experiences in the war are
commonly seen as the source of his cynical realism."[7]
The short stories of Ambrose Bierce contain genuine
historical setting mixed with a fictional plotline. For example, 'One of the
Missing' has the names of prominent
historical figures such as Brigadier General William Tecumseh Sherman who is
plainly named in the story as "General Sherman"[8].
It also depicts the "Confederate retreat"[9]
at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain through the character of "orderly"[10]
Jerome Searing, who "pushed forward across the line of abandoned
pits"[11]
which is described as "miles of trenchlines"[12]
in the information sheet 'The Dallas Road Community and the Battle of Kennesaw
Mountain'. He describes the job of "orderly" as a job which covers
"a multitude of duties"[13].
In 'Two Military Executions' he correctly mentions "the spring of the year
1862"[14]
in which "General Buell's army lay in camp" before the "victory
at Shiloh"[15].
He also states that the army was "raw, untrained"[16]
and had met "hard service...[in]...the mountains of Western Virginia and
Kentucky"[17]. 'A
Tough Tussle' portrays a "silent camp of a whole Federal brigade"[18]
in a "forest in western
Virginia"[19]
during the "autumn of 1861"[20].
This story is about a man, Captain Byring, who has a fear of the dead,
encounter the supernatural when a Confederate body is near him when he is alone
in the forest. He ends up dead with his own sword "thrust through the
heart[21]"
as the result of "a tough tussle"[22].
These stories convey a sense of the historical nature of the stories of Bierce.
In 'One of the Missing', Bierce refers to his own injury
which occurred on the 23rd of June 1864 at Kennesaw Mountain[23]
in this sentence: "A smart wrap to the head from a flying fragment of the
splintered post, incurred simultaneously with the frightfully sudden shock to
the nervous system."[24]
Bierce, however, was hit by a bullet, not a splinter of wood. Through this, he
gives his audience an idea of what it would be like to be shot or injured
whilst at war.
Likewise, in his non-fiction recount of the Battle of Shiloh
in 'What I Saw of Shiloh', he gives a dismal description of what battle was
like. "Here in 1862 were some fields and a house or two; now there are a
national cemetery and other improvements"[25]
somewhat humorously give an indication of the losses which occurred at Shiloh. According
to Roy Morris Jr., the casualties were "more than had died in the
Revolutionary War, the war of 1812, and the Mexican War put together."[26]
He also goes on to say that "The sights and sounds of Shiloh would stay
with Bierce for the rest of his life, occasioning some of his finest writing
and foreshadowing and directly influencing an entire generation of American
writers, men whose own take on war owed a great deal to his seminal
works."[27] Furthermore,
Bierce portrays the battle as both glorious and dreadful, which, one can
assume, is a description which can be applied to the whole war.
Bierce also portrays men from the South joining the Union
army. This is shown in 'The Affair at Coulter's Notch' and 'A Horseman in the
Sky'. In both stories, the result of having a family divided by the war is
devastating. "Do you happen to know that Captain Coulter is from the South?"[28]
foreshadows the wreckage in the future. At the end of 'The Affair at Coulter's
Notch', we discover that Coulter's home has been largely destroyed by guns. He
is found cradling his wife and child in the basement which is not bomb-proof. He
was also involved in an argument with his extended family, just like the main
character in 'A Horseman in the Sky'. In this story however, the main character
shoots his father's horse, causing both his father and the horse to fall off a
cliff to their death. The shock of this occurrence extends both to the young
soldier and his commanding officer. These two stories demonstrate the
destructive nature of war, which Bierce himself has experienced. This portrayal
also conveys the length to which soldiers carried out their duties despite
familial connection.
"After firing
his shot, Private Carter Druse reloaded his rifle and resumed his watch. Ten
minutes had hardly passed when a Federal sergeant crept cautiously to him on
hands and knees. Druse neither turned his head nor looked at him, but lay
without motion or sign of recognition.
'Did you fire?' the
sergeant whispered.
'Yes.'
'At what?'
'A horse. It was
standing on yonder rock - pretty far out. You see it is no longer there. It
went over the cliff.'
The man's face was
white, but he showed no other sign of emotion. Having answered, he turned away
his eyes and said no more. The sergeant did not understand.
'See here, Druse?' he
said, after a moment's silence, 'it's no use making a mystery. I order you to
report. Was there anybody on the horse?'
'Yes.'
'Well?'
'My father.'
There are subtle differences between the fictitious and non-fiction
works of Ambrose Bierce. In the historically accurate recounts he tells, he is
indeed precise. In fact, in all his works he is historically accurate. Throughout 'One of the Missing', he gives
specific details, dates, names and places. This is in parallel with 'What I Saw
of Shiloh' and 'A Little of Chickamauga'. In some of his works though, he gives
very little historical detail such as 'A Horseman in the Sky' and 'The Story of
a Conscience'. These genuine historical elements help to create a perfect setting
for the story. In his factitious works, it shows how he has a keen eye for
detail where his past is concerned. By checking the dates and descriptions of
the land, it is possible to discern that he does work with facts. It is also
assuring to know that he can remember the layout of the land as he was for a
time, a topographical engineer[30]
for the army. This further adds
authenticity to both his fictitious and factual stories.
In his factual works, it appears that his "purpose not
instruction, but entertainment"[31].
But in 'Bivouac of the Dead' it appears that his purpose is to remind people of
the fallen heroes who died in the War. Bierce mentions that he finds such
memorable intentions illogical, as "it occurs that one thinks of the
contradiction involved in 'honoring the memory' of him of whom no memory
remains to honor"[32].
Bierce does not appear to use any other historical sources other than his own
memory. He is reminded of the war when something triggers the memory and he is
compelled to write about it. He does so in an effort to relay the horrors of
what he encountered. Through these recounts, he appears to muse on the
pointlessness of the young dying. He also conveys the joy a soldier feels when
he wins a battle, and the anticipation and fear beforehand. His fictional
stories reflect what is written about in the factual. the subtle difference
being that the fictional is mostly written in third person compared to the
recounts which are written in first.
'What I Saw of Shiloh' is a useful source in discerning the
happenings at Shiloh on "the sixth day of April, 1862". It also
brings to light the fact, in a condescending way, that "Little
negroes of not very clearly defined status and function"[33]
were involved in the Union army. It also provides very useful information on
the topic of the movements of the generals Grant and Buell as well as the
Confederate forces led by Johnston. He describes how Buell's "thirty
thousand men was moving from Nashville to join"[34]
Grant. He describes the steamboats as "looking very much like
turtles" as only a veteran of the battle could. The "woman"
whose "mission, as she understood it, was to inspire the failing heart
with courage" was possibly the wife of Brigadier General William H. L.
Wallace whose name was Ann.[35]
This shows a keen eye for useful aspects which he then continued relaying the
final moments of the battle.
"there swept
past us and over us into the open field a long regiment with fixed bayonets and
rifles on the right soldier. Another followed, and another; two- three -
four!...Then for the first time we note the silence of the whole region is not
comparative, but absolute."[36]
Ambrose Bierce has had a significant impact on the literary
world, being the inspiration of many new works, such as 'The Old Gringo' directed
by Luis Puenzo[37], 'Unlovable'[38]
and 'Execution at Dawn'[39].
'Execution at Dawn'[40]
is based on two of the author's stories, 'Parker Addison, Philosopher' and 'Story
of A Conscience'. 'The Old Gringo' is loosely based on Bierce's disappearance
between December 1913 and early 1914. There are many speculations as to the
fate of Bierce. Amongst the most obscure are rumours that he became a vampire
or went through a portal to another world.[41]
The video clip, 'Unlovable' by Babybird follows Bierce's most famous story, 'An
Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge'. 'Owl Creek Bridge' shows a man who is being
hanged for trying to damage the plans of the Union army. Inevitably he gets
caught. It is one of the only stories which is from the point of view of a Confederate
soldier. He has also been said to have heavily influenced H.P. Lovecraft,
L.P. Hartly, John Collier, Shirley Jackson and Roald Dahl amongst the writers
of the supernatural.[42]
The amount of new literary work that has been created conveys the lasting
influence Bierce has had on literary circles through writing about topics which
can allude to current-day situations.
Amongst supernatural writers Bierce is also prevalent. In
some of his supernatural works, it appears that there is a subconscious or
intended references to the mental state of people in stressful situations. This
appears to be allusions to soldiers in battle. 'The Damned Thing' is one such
story, where an invisible creature harasses Hugh Morgan until, in the company
of a journalist, it kills him. The damned thing appears to be a connotation of
the war. The thing is at war with Hugh Morgan as both refuse to leave. But
instead of the focus being slavery and other political arguments, it was about
a hut and a small scrap of land. It also shows how one may be
"psychologically crushed by the weight of fear"[43].
This statement conveys the portrayal of the soldiers in Bierce's Civil War
stories in comparison to his supernatural stories.
Bierce's stories convey to the reader something of what it
is like to experience war. It also, at times, integrates the supernatural
element for which he was also famous, for a more horrifying and entertaining
read. From a poor Ohio farm boy, to a successful and famous journalist and
writer, who has shown the repugnant and enticing nature of death to his audience. This is more obvious
in 'A Tough Tussle.' Writing about death gives a universal feel to the stories,
which is why they are so popular now, and have had been remade into many
differing adaptations. This allows for different perspectives on the one topic.
War is also a widespread concept, which most nations have experienced. Through
reading Bierce's Civil War works, one can determine the changes in warfare when
compared to the present day. The array of stories show how many men fought in
the Civil War, as well as giving an indication of the same for previous wars
and battles. War and hope are both universal themes which keep the audience
reading.
Throughout his life, Bierce referred to the American Civil
War as he experienced it. His representations of the War are dismal, but
through their horrific portrayal of war, draw the audience in. Mixed with
fiction is the truth. Most of his stories are of a specific battle. Only the
battles in which he participated are written about. This gives added
authenticity to his fictional works. These works are also the inspiration for a
myriad of authors, directors and musicians such as William Dran Howell[44],
......, Luis Puenzo and Babybird.
[1]
Unabridged Devil's Dictionary pg 24
[2]
Unabridged Devil's Dictionary pg 99
[3] Roy
Morris, Jr., Ambrose Bierce Alone in Bad
Company, Crown Publisher's, New York, 1998, pg 14
[4] ibid.,
pg
[5] ibid., pg 18
[6] ibid.,
pg 18
[7] http://biercephile.com/life.cfm
21.08.2012
[8] Ambrose
Gwinnett Bierce, 'One of the Missing', San
Francisco Examiner, March 11, 1888; Craig A. Warren, The Ambrose Bierce
Project, Erie Pennsylvania, Copyright 2005-2012, 16.08.2012, http://www.ambrosebierce.org/main.html
[9] ibid.
[10]
ibid.
[11]
ibid.
[12] Angela
Tooley, The Dallas Road Community and the
Battle of Kennesaw Mountain,
National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park,
Experience Your America™
[13] op.
cit., One of the Missing
[14]
Two Military Executions
[15]
Two Military Executions
[16]
Two Military Executions
[17]
Two Military Executions
[18] A
Tough Tussle
[19] A
Tough Tussle
[20] A
Tough Tussle
[21] A
Tough Tussle
[22] A
Tough Tussle
[23] The
Ambrose Bierce Project, http://www.ambrosebierce.org/main.html, Copyright
2005-2012, Craig A. Warren, last visited 16.08.2012
[24] op.
cit., One of the Missing
[25] Ambrose
Gwinnett Bierce, What I Saw of Shiloh, http://www.ambrosebierce.org/main.html
[26] op.cit.,
Ambrose
Bierce Alone in Bad Company
[27] ibid.
[28]
An Affair at Coulter's Notch
[29] A
Horseman in the Sky
[31] A
Little of Chickamauga
[32]
Bivouac of the Dead
[33]
What I Saw of Shiloh
[34]
What I saw of Shiloh
[35] op.
cit., Ambrose Bierce Alone in Bad Company,
pg 35
[36]
What I Saw of Shiloh
[37]IMDB
Internet Movie Database, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098022/
[38]
Youtube
[39] Don
Swaim, The Ambrose Bierce Site, created 1996, 27.08.2012, http://donswaim.com/index.html
[40] op.
cit., The Ambrose Bierce Site, http://donswaim.com/index.html
[41] Ancient
Aliens S03 E01 Aliens and the old west VOSTFR,Time 33:37- 38:25
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_Yye1N1fiA
[42] Supernatural Literature of the World An
Encyclopaedia Vol. 1 A-F, edited by
S.T. Joshi and Stefan Dziemianowisc, pg 109-113
[43] ibid.
[44] op.
cit., Ambrose Bierce Alone in Bad Company,
pg43
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