In 1861, a Union sentry sleeps at his post near a road on a high mountain cliff. Below him lies a narrow valley through which his military unit must pass in order to attack an army on the other side of the mountain. When he wakes up, he sees an enemy soldier on horseback at the edge of the cliff observing the troop movement below. The sentry is struck by the beauty of the motionless figures silhouetted against the sky and is momentarily torn between his desire to preserve that beauty and to carry out his sworn duty to kill the enemy. He remembers the last words of his father, who, despite his sadness at his son joining the army, nonetheless commands him to "do his duty." The sentry lifts his rifle and fires, causing the horse and rider to plunge from the top of the cliff. Moments later, when the sentry is questioned by his sergeant, it is discovered that the Confederate soldier whom the sentry killed is the sentry's own father.
The main human question explored in this text is deciding what is more important: personal values or doing one’s duty? Carter Druse, the main character in this story, feels bound by honour to join the army, despite his father disagreeing with his decision. However, his father does in fact instruct him to do “….whatever may occur do what you conceive to be your duty. “ This is an important aspect of the story as it links directly to the American ideology of the utmost importance of War and representing one’s country over personal matters. He is at first reluctant as Druse is not representing their home state of Virginia, and is therefore a “traitor” to the state. This also affirms the concept of ultimate pride in one’s home and always supporting your state over others. This links back to ideas explored in the American Bill of Rights, where one must be 'commander of their own home’ and not allow any other men to enter into it and threaten sovereignty. It also reveals that the father wants him to act with "conscience and courage, by deeds of devotion and daring,” in order to properly fulfil his duty as an officer. Druse’s conversation with his father also explains that their relationship is not very close, made obvious by the bowing and saluting they give to each other at the end of the conversation. This reflects the dynamics of many families in the 19th century War period, where the family members were disconnected on topics other than War. The tension of the story is created by Druse's apparent dilemma in choosing between his duty to his family and to Virginia and his perceived duty to the United States. This is the flaw that ultimately dooms him when the climax of the story forces Druse to decide between the moral imperative of honouring his father and the military necessity of killing his father, whom he encounters as a soldier. While reading, Druse's character might seem sympathetic, faced as he is with the difficulties of war, deeper analysis concerning his abandonment of his family, his dereliction of duty, and his ultimate patricide (killing his father) may leave a different impression. Carter Druse's father is almost a godlike figure. He initially is presented as a stern parent disapproving of Carter Druse's abandonment of his mother (perhaps even more so than of his political decision). His son's decision to kill him, in one sense to be viewed as an acceptance of military duty, perhaps has as much to do with the young man's chafing under strict patriarchal control.
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