When Farquhar is swimming downstream, the order is given to open fire. When Farquhar is far downstream, the sound of gunfire can be heard along with the sound of ricochets.
Bullets (in this case mini-balls) do not ricochet when hitting water.
Bullets (in this case mini-balls) do not ricochet when hitting water.
Allowing a person to drop from the height shown would snap his head off. Hanging requires the person fall far enough to break his neck, but not so far as to snap his head off. There are tables that are used to calculate the correct length of rope base on the person' s weight.
Bullet hits are heard all around Peyton after he is well out of range of the Union soldiers' Springfield rifles.
The Union Soldiers (giving orders on the bridge) and Peyton Farquhar (when he pronounces his wife's name) all speak American English with French accents.
When the gates that Peyton approaches appear to open by themselves, you can see a rope tied to the bottom of each one.
When the board falls during the hanging, a hinge is briefly visible, allowing the board to snap back up in place instead of falling in to the river.