Plot Summary
It’s the year 1862, and the Civil War has already been in action for more than a year. Peyton Farquhar, a Confederate plantation owner, is bound beside Owl Creek Bridge. With a noose around his neck, he awaits execution for attempting to sabotage the Northern railroad. As the Union soldiers prepare to hang him, Farquhar thinks of his wife and children.
In a flashback scene, a Federal scout disguised as a Confederate soldier visits Farquhar and his wife at their home. He asks for a glass of water, and while Farquhar’s wife goes to fetch the water, the scout informs Farquhar that “The Yanks are repairing the railroads.” Fascinated by the lives and courage of soldiers, Farquhar takes the news of the front to heart. He wants to know what a civilian who reaches the railroads could accomplish. The scout tells him that the driftwood found there is dry and can easily burn.
In the present, the rope binding Farquhar suddenly snaps, plunging him into the creek. He fights his way to the surface and frees himself. Farquhar finds his senses heightened and swims down the stream for a long time, evading capture and the shots being fired at him. He finally gets out of the water and enters a forest. After walking through the forest for an entire day, he finds a desolate road at night. He is so tired that he falls asleep while walking. In a dream-like state, Farquhar finds himself at home and is about to embrace his wife. However, in that moment, he feels a painful blow to his neck; a blinding white light surrounds him before everything goes dark and silent.
The final sentence reveals the harsh reality: the escape was an elaborate fantasy—Peyton Farquhar is indeed hanging dead at the Owl Creek bridge.
