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Ambrose Bierce, a native Ohioan, enlisted into Federal service in April 1861. The experience of war ignited a flame of passion within the 19 year old soldier, as he witnessed several of the Civil War's bloodiest affairs. From Shiloh to Stones River, Chickamauga to the Atlanta Campaign, 2nd Lieutenant Bierce, serving under Brigadier General William B. Hazen, observed the horrors of war - scenes later recounted in his various writings. Despite incurring a head wound near Kennesaw Mountain in June 1864, Bierce returned to action, as Federal troops fought the Confederate Army of Tennessee at Franklin and Nashville in late 1864.

Bierce continued to suffer from his wound, and received a medical discharge in early 1865, when he sheathed his sword in favor of the pen, and embarked upon a long and distinguished writing career. Through a cooperative agreement between the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park and Kennesaw State University's Center for the Study of the Civil War Era, three of Bierce's narratives appear here.

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• One Officer, One Man

  
  

  This story recounts an act of heroism, which could have played out on most any battlefield of the Civil War. Acts of bravery often encouraged soldiers to dig deep within their inner soul, muster strength, and resolve to accomplish astonishing deeds. On other occasions, these same actions resulted in death. Visualize yourself in a uniform of blue, charging the Confederate position behind your gallant leader - Captain Anderton Graffenreid.

  Credit / Author:

  Ambrose Beirce

  Download Original File:

  kemo-Ambrose-Bierce-Narratives---One-Officer--One-Man-(read-by-John-Stewart)--KEMO---KSU-Civil-War-Center.mp3
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• One of the Missing

  
  

  Crawl into the Federal entrenchments below Kennesaw Mountain with Private Jerome Searing, a member of Major General William T. Sherman’s blue-clad forces intent on capturing Atlanta, and hunker down in preparation for a surprise ending. Bierce weaves an intriguing tale from the battle lines where he found himself on the receiving end of a Confederate minié ball.

  Credit / Author:

  Ambrose Bierce

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  kemo-Ambrose-Bierce-Narratives---One-of-the-Missing-(read-by-John-Stewart)--KEMO---KSU-Civil-War-Center.mp3
  74855 KB

 

• An Occurance At Owl Creek Bridge

  
  

  A journey into, and out of the hangman’s noose as Alabamian Peyton Fahrquhar, a fervent secessionist, embarked upon a clandestine operation to quell Federal attempts to capture the Owl Creek Bridge. The soldiers charged with guarding the valuable river crossing held little tolerance for spies.

  Credit / Author:

  Ambrose Bierce

  Download Original File:

  kemo-Ambrose-Bierce-Narratives---An-Occurance-at-Owl-Creek-Bridge-(read-by-John-Stewart)--KEMO---KSU-Civil-War-Center.mp3
  60498 KB