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Ambrose Bierce's 1890 short story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is one of the most famous in all of American literature. The story follows a wealthy slave owner about to be hanged during the Civil War only for the rope to break, sending the condemned man into the river below, where he swims to freedom. However, the escape is revealed to be a dying hallucination when the execution goes off as planned.

Bierce's mastery of language along with his early use of non-linear and stream-of-consciousness narratives contributed to the story's lasting impact. "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" leaves the reader with a lingering sense of unease. Learning about Ambrose Bierce himself provides the same feeling.

Who Was Ambrose Bierce?

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Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce was born on June 24, 1842 in an Ohio log cabin. He was one of an unlucky thirteen siblings, all of whom had names starting with the letter "A". The Bierces were poor but well-read, instilling a love of literature in their son.

After apprenticing at an abolitionist newspaper and a brief stint at a military academy, Ambrose Bierce enlisted in the Union Army. Bierce received national attention for his bravery and grit during the Battles of Rich Mountain and Shiloh. A traumatic brain injury led to his resignation prior to the end of the war.

As a civilian, Bierce returned to the literary world, contributing to magazines in San Francisco and London. He briefly tried his hand at running a mining company, but the venture was not to last. By the turn of the 20th century, Bierce was one of the most famous writers in America.

However, Bierce's personal life was tumultuous to say the least. Both of Bierce's sons predeceased him, one shot himself while the other caught pneumonia. Additionally, Bierce separated from his wife in 1904 after discovering letters she kept from an admirer.

The whole time, Bierce was suffering from asthma as well as the fallout of his brain injury in an era when mental health and neurosurgery were far less understood than they are today. Bierce had also come under fire when his poem about the assassination of a Kentucky governor seemed to foreshadow—or even encourage—William McKinley's assassination the following year. A man known for his trick endings, the last chapter of Bierce's life resembled one of his stories.

In 1913, at the age of 71, Ambrose Bierce began a tour of Civil War Battle fields. He crossed Louisiana and Texas until he reached the border of Mexico, three years deep into a decade-long revolution. Bierce accompanied Pancho Villa's army as far of Chihuahua, then was never seen again.

What Happened To Ambrose Bierce?

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There are several theories about the disappearance of Ambrose Bierce. The theory that he, like Elvis, is still alive to this day is the easiest to disprove. Others are not so cut-and-dry.

Some people believe that Bierce committed suicide in the desert. After all, the last decade of his life was particularly stressful. Covering the Mexican Revolution may have been a cover story for a trip to—as he called it—"an unknown destination."

Another theory is that he did follow Pancho Villa's troops into battle, but was executed as a spy. This theory mainly relies on word of mouth via elderly locals. A grave stone in Sierra Mojada cemetery was installed in 2004, commemorating Bierce as a writer and alleged spy.

Bierce spoke little to no Spanish—something one would think we would have rectified before traveling to Mexico—which opened him up for potentially fatal miscommunications. If accused of spying either for the revolutionary or federal forces, Bierce would have been able to do little to clear his name. He may have not even met Villa.

The simplest theory is that Bierce died of illness or natural causes before he could return home. After all, the desert is one of the most unforgiving terrains on earth, known for swallowing up entire expeditions and never spitting them back out. Perhaps Bierce succumbed to the elements and his body was buried before it could decay.

The last confirmed piece of writing we have from Ambrose Bierce was a letter to his niece, Lora. In it, he wrote the following:

"Good-bye. If you hear of my being stood up against a Mexican stone wall and shot to rags, please know that I think it is a pretty good way to depart this life. It beats old age, disease, or falling down the cellar stairs. To be a Gringo in Mexico—ah, that is euthanasia!"