Discuss the representations of the American Civil War in
the stories of Ambrose Bierce.
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
later wrote fictional stories detailing the experiences of war. These stories
convey actions prevalent in the American Civil War amongst the narrative they
are weaved into.
Ambrose Bierce's stories convey truth mixed with fiction.
For example, One of the Missing uses
the name of Brigadier General William Tecumseh Sherman (General Sherman) and
depicts the "Confederate retreat"[1]
through the fictional character of Private Jerome Searing, who is an
"orderly"[2]
for Sherman's army. The story also depicts the "miles of trenchlines"[3]
which it appears Bierce described as "A line of earthworks"[4]
and "little banks of earth scooped out of the slight depression"[5].
Of course, this would only be genuine if Union soldiers had taken over the
Confederate trenches. "Searing pushed forward across the line of abandoned
pits"[6]
gives us evidence to show that this is likely true. It appears that the Atlanta
Campaign is presented as a sort of building site as well as a battlefield.
Amongst One of the
Missing, Bierce refers to his own injury which occurred on the 23rd of June
1864 at Kennesaw Mountain[7]
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."[8]
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 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"[9]
somewhat humorously give an indication of the loses 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."[10]
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."[11] Furthermore,
Bierce portrays the battle as both glorious and dreadful, which, one can
assume, is a description which can be applied to whole war. War is defined in
the Devil's Dictionary as "A by-product of the arts of peace. The most
menacing political conditions is a period of international amity."[12]
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?"[13]
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 over 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.'
Ambrose Bierce has had a significant impact on the literary
world. His works and life has been the basis of some many new works, such as The Old Gringo directed by Luis Puenzo[15],
Unlovable[16]
and Execution at Dawn[17].
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.[18]
The videoclip, Unlovable by Babybird
follows the Bierces most famous story, An
Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge. Execution
at Dawn[19]
is based on two of the author's stories, Parker
Addison, Philosopher and Story of A Conscience.
Each story is conveyed through the point of view of a Union
soldier. This is significant as he himself fought on behalf of the Union States
and he was greatly affected by the War. His stories appear to glorify the Union
side. His purpose therefore, appears to be to propagate the ideals of the Union
government and give glory to the states, as well as the fallen soldiers. These
purposes are fairly ironic, as Bierce was a cynic and appeared slightly
sceptical towards society as a whole. These are key definitions which emphasise
the cynical 'Bitter Bierce':
"Battle, n. A method of untying with the teeth a
political knot that would not yield to the tongue."[20]
"Government, n. A modern Chronos who devours his own
children. The priest-hood are charged with the duty of preparing them for his
tooth."[21]
Bierce displays throughout his stories the idea of country
first, family second, 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 they are
fighting on. When a big battle is fought, the think only in the moment and do
not think of the future. 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 grim representation of the war further demonstrates the seemingly
desperate actions these soldiers commit.
Throughout his life, Bierce has made mention 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. In most of his stories, there is basis on 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 ......, ......, Luis
Puenzo and Babybird.
[1] Geologic
Origins of Kennesaw Mountain - ?
[2] Ambrose
Gwinnett Bierce, One of the Missing, http://www.ambrosebierce.org/main.html
[3]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™
[4] One
of the Missing
[5] One
of the Missing
[6]
One of the Missing
[7] The
Ambrose Bierce Project, http://www.ambrosebierce.org/main.html, Copyright
2005-2012, Craig A. Warren, last visited 16.08.2012
[8] One
of the Missing
[9] Ambrose
Gwinnett Bierce, What I Saw of Shiloh, http://www.ambrosebierce.org/main.html
[10] Roy
Morris Jr., Ambrose Bierce Alone in Bad Company
[11] Alone
in Bad Company,
[12]
The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary, by Ambrose Bierce, edited by David E. Shultz
and S.T. Joshi
[13]
An Affair at Coulter's Notch
[14] A
Horseman in the Sky
[15] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098022/
[16] Youtube
[17]
Ambrose Bierce in the News
[18]
Ancient Aliens
[19]
Ambrose Bierce in the News
[20]
Unabridged Devil's Dictionary pg 24
[21] Unabridged
Devil's Dictionary pg 99
Bear in mind that I will rearrange the paragraphs and refine the footnotes.
Bear in mind that I will rearrange the paragraphs and refine the footnotes.
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