On a warm afternoon in the fall of 1861 Carter Druse is on picket duty on top of a cliff overlooking a valley where five regiments of the Union army are resting. The enemy is near, and the Union force means to surprise them in the night unless “accident or vigilance” forewarns them. Druse had been sleeping but wakes to see a man on a horse surveying the activity in the valley below. He sights his rifle, but hesitates when the rider turns and seems to look straight at him. In a crisis of conscience, Druse questions where his duty lies. HarperPerennial Classics brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and celebrating reading in all its forms. Look for more titles in the HarperPerennial Classics collection to build your digital library.

»A Horseman in the Sky« is a short story by Ambrose Bierce, originally published in 1889. AMBROSE BIERCE [1842-1914] was an American author, journalist, and war veteran. He was one of the most influential journalists in the United States in the late 19th century and alongside his success as a horror writer he was hailed as a pioneer of realism. Among his most famous works are The Devil's Dictionary and the short story »An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.«

Today, Ambrose Bierce is best remembered for his blazingly satirical take on politics and society in general, which was probably best encapsulated in The Devil's Dictionary. However, Bierce paid his literary dues as a war reporter, and battlefield conflicts were a frequent topic of his fiction. A Son of the Gods and A Horseman in the Sky brings together a pair of exquisitely observed short tales of the American Civil War.

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Today, Ambrose Bierce is best remembered for his blazingly satirical take on politics and society in general, which was probably best encapsulated in The Devil's Dictionary. However, Bierce paid his literary dues as a war reporter, and battlefield conflicts were a frequent topic of his fiction. A Son of the Gods and A Horseman in the Sky brings together a pair of exquisitely observed short tales of the American Civil War. As part of our mission to publish great works of literary fiction and nonfiction, Sheba Blake Publishing Corp. is extremely dedicated to bringing to the forefront the amazing works of long dead and truly talented authors.

A Study Guide for Ambrose Bierce's "A Horseman in the Sky," excerpted from Gale's acclaimed Short Stories for Students.This concise study guide includes plot summary; character analysis; author biography; study questions; historical context; suggestions for further reading; and much more. For any literature project, trust Short Stories for Students for all of your research needs.