Smarr Publishers
English
for
Classical Studies
A Student’s Companion to
Selected Stories of
Ambrose Bierce
by Robert W. Watson
Copyright © Watson Educational Services, Inc., 2006
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any
means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information
storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information,
please write Smarr Publishers, 4917 High Falls Road—Suite 201, Jackson, Georgia 30233 or call
(678) 774–8374.
Dover Publications ISBN 0-486-28038-1 is compatible with the study guide.
$9.95 IN USA
Selected Stories of Ambrose Bierce / 1
B
Introduction to Selected Stories of Ambrose Bierce
ORN in Ohio, Ambrose Bierce became a soldier in the
Unionist army at the age of nineteen. According to Bierce,
the memory that stayed with him throughout his life was
when Confederate soldiers slashed to death many Unionist troops
with their bayonets. However, one has to wonder whether the
Yankees perfected a better way of humanely killing soldiers (and
civilians). Nevertheless, the war stories of Bierce recount many of
the battle scenes and horror that he witnessed as a soldier. Indeed,
Bierce was no ordinary soldier. The young man was cited at least
fifteen times for bravery and was commissioned a major. After the
war, Bierce served in the army for a spell in the West.
Finally, Bierce became a reporter in San Francisco whose muckraking caused Southern
Pacific Railroad’s Collis P. Huntington to offer him a bribe. When asked what his price was to
keep him silent, Bierce replied, “My price is about seventy-five million dollars, to be handed to
the Treasurer of the United States.” After fighting courageously in a war to preserve the ideal of
a mystical American union, Bierce, like so many Unionist soldiers, became disillusioned by the
corruption in government and with the policies of the Republican reconstruction of the Southern
states, which he considered to be simply legalized theft and violence against the Southern
people. Therefore, Bierce became a cynic of the newly created American state, which was born
out of conquest and violence. Because of his cynicism, Bierce has since been known as “Bitter
Bierce.”
After adopting a thoroughly anti-establishment view, Bierce writes his Devil’s Dictionary. In
the dictionary, Bierce records the supposed shams and lies of mankind regarding manners,
morality, patriotism, and religion. A couple of his definitions include:
DUTY, n. That which sternly impels us in the direction of profit, along the line
of desire.
PRAY, v. To ask that the laws of the universe be annulled in behalf of a single
petitioner confessedly unworthy.
While Bierce writes with a realistic style, the predominant theme in his stories centers on
death being the essence of life. Therefore, according to Bierce, men are trapped in a fantastic
joke, when they believe life has meaning when it does not. After all, the “reward” for enduring
the hardships, pains, sickness, and misery of life is ultimately death and a grave. Of course, for
the Christian, life is given in order to love God and to enjoy Him forever.
At the age of seventy, Bierce went to Mexico and was last heard to have been riding with
Pancho Villa. With this final report, Ambrose Bierce disappears and is never heard from again.
Yet his stories, even though pessimistic and perhaps repetitive, offer a view of war that is
anything but glamorous and glorious. If readers will become repulsed by violence, then Bierce
will have done mankind a favor by making us more aware of ourselves.
ROBERT W. WATSON
2 / Selected Stories of Ambrose Bierce
Selected Stories of Ambrose Bierce
Lesson One
1.1 Vocabulary
interregnum n.
pervious adj.
salient n.
leonine adj.
1.2 Vocabulary Exercise
1. After the death of Henry VIII and before the crowning of Edward VI, poor Tom Canty
became the ruler of England by accident during this _________________.
2. The _______________ feature on this car was its large fins on the rear quarter panels.
3. Even though Mr. Rex had formed his own opinion about the bond issue, he nevertheless
was ___________________ to ideas that he may have overlooked.
4. The wounded warrior made a sound that seemed more like a _______________ roar rather
than the sound of a human.
1.3 Reading Assignment: Civil War Stories, pp. 19–40
1.4 Recall Questions
1. According to narrator in “Four Day in Dixie, in what direction was the “trend” of the young
men’s desires?
2. What did the “adventurers” do in order to prepare for a hasty retreat if they should “incur
the natural consequence” of their action?
3. As the men neared a farmhouse, what appeared that cause the adventurers to scatter?
4. What happened to the three enlisted men and what was their probable destination?
5. Why wasn’t the narrator discovered as he stumbled into a Confederate camp?
6. Why does the narrator state that he was a “most uncomfortable bird”?
7. What malady was the narrator subject to from time to time?
8. Who was Jeff Gatewood?
9. In “A Horseman in the Sky,” what was the soldier doing as the story begins?
Selected Stories of Ambrose Bierce / 3
10. Why was Druse selected for the duty at the extreme outpost.
11. Why did it become imperative that Druse kill the horseman on the ridge?
12. What did the Union officer witness as he was taking a walk?
13. Who was the horseman that Druse fired upon?
14. In “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” why was the Southern gentleman being hanged?
1.5 Critical Thinking

Discuss the following statement: “No country is so wild and difficult but men will make it a
theatre of war.” Do you agree with the statement? Why or why not?

In “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” explain how the reader is aware that the “escape”
of Peyton Farquhar is fantasy, only his imagination.
1.6 Bonus Thoughts

Verbal Irony: Bierce uses verbal irony very effectively, which is a statement with the
implicit meaning intended to differ from what is actually said. A good example is found in
“Four Days in Dixie” when the narrator states that the men were armed with three rifles and
two revolvers. Then the narrator remarks ironically, “We had not the further advantage of
music and banners. One thing favored the expedition, giving it an apparent assurance of
success: it was well officered—an officer to each man and a half.” If trying to remain
undetected is the goal, as in the case of these men, then “music and banners” are no
advantage. Also, even if a troop is “well officered,” this fact does not assure success at all.
In fact, with too many “leaders,” the venture was bound to fail.
4 / Selected Stories of Ambrose Bierce
Selected Stories of Ambrose Bierce
Lesson Two
2.1 Vocabulary
accentuate v.
maculate v.
bravado n.
imperiousness n.
2.2 Vocabulary Exercise
1. Since she is overbearing, Edith, as editor of our little newsletter, caused many of the staff to
leave, because they were offended by her __________________.
2. Our cat Mouser _______________ the end table with his claws, because he uses the surface
as a platform to jump onto the bed.
3. The silly multicolored ribbon only _______________ the green hair of Suzanne.
4. While his boosting was foolish, Tom revealed his “courage” to be a ____________, because
he later refused to take “Dead Man’s Curve” at 100 m.p.h.
2.3 Reading Assignment: Civil War Stories, pp. 41–62
2.4 Recall Questions
1. In “Chickamauga,” what does the young boy make as a result of his father’s books about the
military?
2. After the boy becomes lost in the woods for awhile, what does the young boy finally do?
3. Why does the young boy mount the back of a crawling soldier?
4. Why did some of the men drown after they drank water from the creek?
5. Why did the young boy sleep through the battle?
6. In “ A Son of the Gods,” according to the narrator, the soldier “never becomes wholly
familiar with the conception of his foes” being what?
7. Why was the officer on the white horse with a red saddle blanket considered a fool?
8. As the young officer rides along the edge of the woods, what is his military objective?
9. In “One of the Missing,” what was the duty of Jerome Searing?
Selected Stories of Ambrose Bierce / 5
10. As Searing comes close to an enemy rifle-pit, what does the soldier conclude correctly?
11. Before Searing could fire his weapon into a retreating line of Confederate soldiers, what
happens to the scout?
12. What does Searing discover to be pointed at his forehead?
13. What does “But it did its work” mean on page 61?
2.5 Critical Thinking

In “Chickamauga,” explain the symbolism of the boy’s wooded sword.

In “A Son of the Gods,” the young officer is called a “military Christ.” How is the officer a
type of Christ? In what ways do the analogy fail in this case?

In “One of the Missing,” Bierce states that “it is the business of a soldier to kill.” However,
Bierce then writes that “Private Searing was not to murder anybody that bright summer
morning.” Discuss the difference between the soldier’s duty to kill the enemy and Searing’s
attempt to kill an unaware enemy.
2.6 Bonus Thoughts

Point of view: As a term in literary criticism, point of view signifies the way a story is told.
The author will present a perspective through the characters, the actions, and the setting.
There are three points of view: first-person, second-person, and third-person. The secondperson point of view is rare. Therefore, most discussions about point of view center on firstand third-person views.
The first-person point of view limits the narrator to only what he can discern from the
actions and conversation with other characters. An example of the first-person point of view
is in the novels, The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man by James Weldon Johnson and
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. Also, Bierce’s story, “Four Days in Dixie,” is a good
example.
Under the third-person view, two subcategories exist. The narrator will have an
omniscient point of view. Here the narrator knows about everything regarding the
characters, including their thoughts, and the actions in the plot. Not only knowing the
characters’ thoughts, but the narrator can jump from one time period to another, or from
place to place. An example of this kind of point of view is George Eliot’s Silas Marner.
From Bierce’s stories, an excellent example is “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.”
However, while the narrator can be intrusive by offering commentary and value judgments
as in the two examples above, he may choose to be unintrusive. In this case, the narrator
will describe the characters and the events, but will not offer any commentary or judgments.
You will notice this unintrusiveness in Bierce’ story, “The Affair at Coulter’s Notch.”
6 / Selected Stories of Ambrose Bierce
Selected Stories of Ambrose Bierce
Lesson Three
3.1 Vocabulary
loquacity n.
vicissitude n.
deprecation n.
coup de grâce n.
3.2 Vocabulary Exercise
1. The author left the country for awhile in order to sooth his wounded ego after the critics’
_______________________ of his recent volume of poetry.
2. Since we did not want to be rude, for nearly three hours we listened quietly to the ramblings
of our Aunt Martha, who has a knack for _____________, about her trip to Stone Mountain.
3. When voters overwhelmingly defeated the tax increase for the building of an airport, this
was the _________________ that ended the mayor’s pet project.
4. When Mr. Philips, who was the Chairman of the county’s Republican Party, announced he
was now a member of Socialist Party, the __________________ in politics was so drastic
that the story appeared in local newspapers.
3.3 Reading Assignment: Civil War Stories, pp. 63–81
3.4 Recall Questions
1. In “Killed at Resaca,” what “unsoldierly” attribute did Lieutenant Brayle possess?
2. What is ironic in the statement, “while men older in service and years, higher in rank and of
unquestionable intrepidity, were loyally preserving behind the crest of a hill lives infinitely
precious to their country, this fellow would stand”?
3. What were the words that “had slain a hundred men”?
4. Why does Miss Mendenhall start when she receives the letter from the narrator?
5. When telling Miss Mendenhall how Brayle dies, the narrator states that the officer died by
what cause?
6. In “The Affair at Coulter’s Notch,” what was Captain Coulter’s duty as a military officer?
7. How many cannons were Coulter able to put in the notch at one time?
8. After the enemy withdraw, the colonel established his headquarters in the house. Whose
Selected Stories of Ambrose Bierce / 7
house was it?
9. In “The Coup de Grace,” why was the number of the enemy dead more of a hope than of a
result?
10. What insult did Major Halcrow give to Captain Madwell, and what was Madwell’s
response?
11. When Captain Madwell finds his friend, Caffal Halcrow, how does the captain interpret the
look that his friend gives to him?
12. What caused the wound in Caffal’s abdomen?
13. As Madwell tries to withdraw his sword, who appears for the purpose of taking Caffal to get
medical attention?
3.5 Critical Thinking

Discuss the power of words to strengthen and to destroy. What does the Bible say about the
tongue?

In “The Affair at Coulter’s Notch,” discuss the conflict between duty to country and duty to
family as found in this story. Which of the two duties should come first?

Discuss whether “mercy killing” is ever right. Support your answer from passages in the
Bible.
3.6 Bonus Thoughts

“This humble, unheroic Prometheus”: Bierce alludes to Greek mythology with this
reference to Prometheus, one of the Titans. Prometheus plays a predominate role in the
creation of man and other creatures. After the animals were given the best gifts like fur to
cover their bodies and speed and strength, man had nothing. Therefore, Prometheus steals
fire from the Sun in order for man to warm himself, to cook his food, and to make his
weapons. In addition to this, Prometheus instructs men to keep the best part of the sacrifices
and to give only the bones and fat to the gods. Because of this, Zeus creates a woman
(Pandora) in order to punish men.
Prometheus becomes the “friend to man,” but the enemy of Zeus. Therefore, Prometheus is
bound to a rock and every day, an eagle would descend upon the helpless Titan to eat his
liver, which grew back only to be eaten again the next day. This torture continued until
Prometheus is rescued by Hercules, who kills the eagle.
8 / Selected Stories of Ambrose Bierce
Selected Stories of Ambrose Bierce
Lesson Four
4.1 Vocabulary
augury n.
infectious adj.
stolidity n.
enigmatical adj.
4.2 Vocabulary Exercise
1. When I tripped in front of the boss, his ______________ laugh soon spread among all of
my co-workers.
2. When Shannon stated that she could predict the future by observing the melting of ice
cream, I doubted her method of ____________________.
3. The _________________ array of road signs at the junction was the cause of our getting
lost; I could not decipher which route to take.
4. The purpose for the Prussian schools, which is the model for American public education,
was to create ________________ among the citizens in order to train them as obedient
soldiers.
4.3 Reading Assignment: Civil War Stories, pp. 83–104
4.4 Recall Questions
1. When Parker Adderson was circulating around the Confederate camp, how was he dressed?
2. What weapon did the Confederate general have that was most “unmilitary”?
3. According to the general, what is death?
4. According to Adderson, what is the extent of the general’s power of evil over the spy?
5. As Adderson is being escorted out of the tent, what does the spy do?
6. In “An Affair of Outposts,” what is the meaning of the Governor’s saying “There is a
simpler and franker way”?
7. What is the “unwritten law”?
8. During the battle of Corinth, Mississippi, who does the Governor wish to see?
9. As the Governor was fleeing in retreat, what happens to him?
Selected Stories of Ambrose Bierce / 9
10. In “The Story of a Conscience,” why does Captain Hartroy run after the “civilian” in order
to arrest him?
11. Dramer Brune was captured once before as a spy. Who was the young soldier who fell
asleep while guarding Brune?
12. Why did Brune desert to the Confederacy?
13. After ordering the execution of Brune, what does Captain Hartroy do?
4.5 Critical Thinking

Discuss why Parker Adderson became violent and afraid when he apparently was already
resigned to death.

In “An Affair of Outposts,” the Governor experiences an “epiphany.” Discuss what
awakening occurs for the Governor.

Was Captain Hartroy correct in taking his own life? Why or why not? What other options, if
any, were available to Captain Hartroy?
4.6 Bonus Thoughts

Epiphany: An epiphany (i PIF uh nee) is a sudden manifestation of the meaning of
something; or in other words, a comprehending of reality by means of a sudden intuitive
realization. The expression, “He finally saw the light,” is roughly the idea here.
There are some interesting epiphanies in literature. In Tennyson’s Idylls of the King, a
young man named Pelleas tries to live up to the standard set forth by King Arthur. The
greatness of Camelot was dying; yet Pelleas wanted to believe that Arthur’s ways were still
right. Pelleas failed to see that the old order was crumbling away. The destruction of
Camelot began when Reason (Merlin) was seduced by Passion (Vivien.) Pelleas falls in
love with Ettarre and tries to woo her after the manner of the old order. But, a betrayal
causes Pelleas to “see the light.” Pelleas comes to himself when he admits that he never
loved Ettarre. Indeed, now Pelleas in great despair states,
For why should I have loved her to my shame?
I loathe her, as I loved her to my shame.
I never loved her, I but lusted for her—
In “A White Heron” by Sarah Orne Jewett, Sylvia climbs an old pine tree to find the nest of
a heron. A young hunter will pay her ten dollars if Sylvia can find the heron’s nest for him.
At daybreak, while Sylvia is in the tree, the heron perches on a limb close to her. After
returning home, Sylvia refuses to reveal the location of the nest: “No, she must keep
silence!…The murmur of the pine’s green branches is in her ears, she remembers how the
white heron came flying through the golden air and how they watched the sea and the
morning together, and Sylvia cannot speak; she cannot tell the heron’s secret and give its
life away.” As a nine-year-old, Sylvia discovers intuitively that some things are more
important than money.
10 / Selected Stories of Ambrose Bierce
Selected Stories of Ambrose Bierce
Lesson Five
5.1 Vocabulary
desultory adj.
propinquity n.
alacrity n.
mollify v.
5.2 Vocabulary Exercise
1. To ________________ the soldiers’ discontent about wages, the general promised each
man an additional amount of pay.
2. The _____________________ of poison ivy and this other common, but harmful, weed has
led to my being covered in a rash.
3. When we held the first planning session two weeks ago, each member offered such a
_____________ exchange of ideas that I am surprised that we finally came to a consensus.
4. When the captain realized that the battle was won, he sent a cheerful soldier, who with
__________________ went to the headquarters to quickly tell the general.
5.3 Reading Assignment: Civil War Stories, pp. 105–123
5.4 Recall Questions
1. In “One Kind of Officer,” what remark does General Cameron make regarding his forces?
2. Even though he was close by to hundreds of friends and enemies, why was Captain
Ransome alone?
3. What intelligence does Sergeant Morris give to Ransome?
4. What criticism did General Cameron have of Ransome?
5. After the attack was over, what did the General Masterson discover about the “enemy”
dead?
6. In “George Thurston,” what was the narrator’s occupation in the army.
7. When Lieutenant Thurston accompanies the narrator on a mission, what is his purpose for
going?
8. During an engagement with the enemy, how does Thurston respond to a Confederate
soldier’s charge upon him?
Selected Stories of Ambrose Bierce / 11
9. How does Thurston die?
10. In “The Mocking-bird,” why did the Union army need as long a notice as possible about the
enemy’s approach?
11. Why does the narrator state that Private Grayrock “seriously impaired his usefulness as a
sentinel”?
12. What excuse does Grayrock give the picket for the reason of his going into “Confederate
territory”?
13. When Grayrock discovers the man that he killed, who did it turn out to be?
5.5 Critical Thinking

Bierce states that to become a good soldier, one must try to get himself killed. If this is so, is
obedience with mechanical fidelity and doing nothing more than doing merely one’s duty
the trait of a good soldier? Why or why not?

In “One Kind of Officer,” was Captain Ransome in the right? Was he not just “following
orders”? What were those orders from General Cameron? When is it proper for a military
man to disobey orders of his superiors, if ever?

Support or attack the following statement: “When one is tranquilly looking death in the eye
and refusing him any concession one naturally has a good opinion of one’s self.”

In “The Mocking-bird,” discuss the mockingbird as a symbol.

In “The Mocking-bird,” discuss why “At roll-call that evening in the Federal camp the name
William Grayrock brought no response, nor ever again thereafter.”
12 / Selected Stories of Ambrose Bierce
Glossary for Selected Stories of Ambrose Bierce
accentuate (²k-sμn“ch›-³t”) v. To stress or emphasize; intensify
alacrity (…-l²k“r¹-t¶) n. Cheerful willingness; eagerness; speed or quickness; celerity
augury (ô“gy…-r¶) n. The art, ability, or practice of auguring; divination; a sign of something
coming; an omen
bravado (br…-vä“d½) n. Defiant or swaggering behavior; a pretense of courage; a false show of
bravery
coup de grâce (k›” d… gräs“) n. A deathblow delivered to end the misery of a mortally wounded
victim; a finishing stroke or decisive event
deprecation (dμp“r¹-k³”sh…n) v. To express disapproval of; deplore; to belittle; depreciate
desultory (dμs“…l-tôr”¶) adj. Moving or jumping from one thing to another; disconnected;
occurring haphazardly; random
enigmatical (μn”¹g-m²t“-¹-k…l) adj. Of or resembling an enigma; puzzling
imperiousness (¹m-pîr“¶-…s-n¹s) n. Domineering or overbearing; urgent; pressing
infectious (¹n-fμk“sh…s) adj. Capable of causing infection; easily or readily communicated
interregnum (¹n”t…r-rμg“n…m) n. The interval of time between the end of a sovereign's reign and
the accession of a successor; a period of temporary suspension of the usual functions of
government or control
leonine (l¶“…-nºn”) adj. Relating to or characteristic of a lion
loquacity (l½-kw²s“¹-t¶) n. Talkativeness; garrulousness
maculate (m²k“y…-l³t”) v. To spot, blemish, or pollute
mollify (m¼l“…-fº”) v. To calm in temper or feeling; soothe; pacify; to lessen in intensity
pervious (pûr“v¶-…s) adj. Open to passage or entrance; open to arguments, ideas, or change;
approachable
propinquity (pr…-p¹ng“kw¹-t¶) n. Proximity; nearness; similarity in nature
salient (s³“l¶-…nt) adj. Projecting or jutting beyond a line or surface; protruding; strikingly
conspicuous; prominent
stolidity (st¼-l¹d“¹-t¶) n. The state of having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; impassive
vicissitude (v¹-s¹s“¹-t›d”) n. A change or variation; the quality of being changeable; mutability
Selected Stories of Ambrose Bierce
Vocabulary Quiz
Instructions: Match the word with its definition.
A. accentuate
D. bravado
G.desultory
J. infectious
M. loquacity
P. pervious
S. stolidity
B. alacrity
E. coup de grâce
H. enigmatical
K. interregnum
N. maculate
Q. propinquity
T. vicissitude
C. augury
F. deprecation
I. imperiousness
L. leonine
O. mollify
R. salient
1. _____ to spot, blemish, or pollute
2. _____ a pretense of courage; a false show of bravery
3. _____ domineering or overbearing; urgent; pressing
4. _____ cheerful willingness; eagerness; speed or quickness; celerity
5. _____ the interval of time between reigns
6. _____ disconnected; random
7. _____ act of changing; mutability
8. _____ divination; a sign of something coming; an omen
9. _____ a deathblow; a finishing stroke or decisive event
10. _____ open to arguments, ideas, or change; approachable
11. _____ resembling an enigma; puzzling
12. _____ projecting or jutting beyond a line or surface; prominent
13. _____ capable of causing infection; easily or readily communicated
14. _____ proximity; nearness; similarity in nature
15. _____ to stress or emphasize; intensify
16. _____ relating to or characteristic of a lion
17. _____ talkativeness; garrulousness
18. _____ having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; impassive
19. _____ to calm in temper or feeling; soothe; pacify; to lessen in intensity
20. _____ to express disapproval of; deplore; to belittle; depreciate
Answer Keys to Selected Stories of Ambrose Bierce
Vocabulary Exercise, Lesson 1
1. interregnum
2. salient
3. pervious
4. leonine
Lesson 1
1. They wanted to have adventure.
2. They secured the boat in a safe place.
3. The men were spotted by a troop of Confederate cavalry.
4. The three men were captured by the Confederates and probably would be sent to
Andersonville.
5. Everyone was asleep, including the guard.
6. After fleeing from the enemy, he perched up in a tree near the river.
7. He would have fainting spells.
8. Gatewood was a notorious guerrilla leader with a cruel disposition.
9. The soldier is sleeping while on guard duty.
10. He comes from the state of Virginia and was familiar with the area.
11. The horseman saw some Union troops watering their horses.
12. The officer saw a man and horse falling through the air.
13. The horseman was Druse’s father.
14. The gentleman was captured trying to burn the Owl Creek Bridge.
Vocabulary Exercise, Lesson 2
1. imperiousness
2. maculated
3. accentuated
4. bravado
Lesson 2
1. He constructed a wooden sword for himself.
2. He cries himself to sleep.
3. The men were in the same position as the slaves whenever the young boy would play horse.
4. The men were so fatigued that they were unable to lift their heads from the water.
5. The young boy was a deaf-mute.
6. The soldier does not see his enemy as a man like himself.
7. Soldiers’ rifles are naturally drawn to a man on a white horse.
8. He is a target, and thus the enemy will reveal his position.
9. Searing was a scout.
10. The enemy had withdrawn their forces.
11. A cannon ball strikes the building where Searing is, and Searing becomes trapped.
12. The barrel of his rifle was pointing at his forehead.
13. Even though Searing did not consciously fire the rifle, the bullet killed an enemy soldier.
1
Vocabulary Exercise, Lesson 3
1. deprecation
2. loquacity
3. coup de grâce
4. vicissitude
Lesson 3
1. Brayle was vain of his courage.
2. In war, no life is precious, much less infinitely precious.
3. Miss Mendenhall stated that she would rather hear of Brayles heroic death and not his
cowardice.
4. There was blood on the letter.
5. Brayles died of a snake bite.
6. The captain was the commander of an artillery battery.
7. He could only set up one cannon at a time.
8. The house belonged to Captain Coulter.
9. The enemy soldiers were counted several times; therefore, the numbers were inflated.
10. The major suggested that the captain stay behind from the charge. The captain responded by
inviting the major to come along, saying that he would be an easy mark for an enemy’s
bullet.
11. The captain thinks his friend wants to die due to his suffering and pain.
12. The soldier was mutilated by pigs.
13. Major Halcrow and two attendants come upon the scene.
Vocabulary Exercise, Lesson 4
1. infectious
2. augury
3. enigmatical
4. stolidity
Lesson 4
1. Adderson was dressed as a Confederate soldier.
2. The general had a Bowie knife.
3. Death is the loss of happiness that one has and of opportunities for more.
4. The general can only kill the body.
5. Adderson takes the Bowie knife and attacks the general.
6. The Governor suggests that Armisted should commit suicide.
7. The unwritten law is the right of a man to murder the lover of his unfaithful wife.
8. The Governor wishes to see Captain Armisted.
9. The Governor sprains his ankle.
10. Hartroy recognized the man as a spy only after prompting his memory that he had seen the
man before.
11. The soldier was Hartroy.
12. Brune asked for a discharge from the Union army due to a change in his convictions.
However, Brune was punished instead.
13. Hartroy commits suicide.
2
Vocabulary Exercise, Lesson 5
1. mollify
2. propinquity
3. desultory
4. alacrity
Lesson 5
1. The general believed that the army was behaving cowardly.
2. The mist was heavy and he could not see anyone.
3. Morris reported that the enemy were coming towards the battery.
4. Ransome was “too fond of his opinion.”
5. Ransome had been firing upon Union troops.
6. The narrator was a topographical engineer.
7. Thurston goes as an observer.
8. Thurston stands in the road and merely folds his arms.
9. Thurston died in an accident while swinging.
10. The soldiers would undress themselves before they slept.
11. Grayrock was on guard duty during the night and had lost his bearing; therefore, he was
uncertain of the direction that he should have been watching for the enemy.
12. Grayrock stated that he had lost something while on guard duty.
13. Grayrock had killed his twin brother, John.
Ambrose Bierce
1. N
2. D
3. I
4. B
5. K
6. G
7. T
8. C
9. E
10. P
11. H
12. R
13. J
14. Q
15. A
16. L
17. M
18. S
19. O
20. F
3
4