He states that the story describes a spy about to be hanged who has visions of an escape and a return to home. The story involves a man, disillusioned with the romanticism of war, who believes that he is a courageous soldier. Irony is a technique commonly employed throughout Bierce's works. It is not until he recognizes that the burning village is his own or comes upon his mother's disgusting, dismembered body does he realize what has actually occurred. In this story, a man becomes trapped under debris, facing the barrel of his own rifle.
Further irony is presented when a lieutenant unrecognizably passes the dead man's body.
Bibliography Gullette, Alan. This site, a secondary source of information, is both timely and scholarly. It includes Web pages devoted to Ambrose Bierce and his works. Specifically, the site includes biographical information, a literary overview, and links to other informative sources. Collected Writings of Ambrose Bierce .