Can You Spot the Historical Inaccuracies?

[BettyO]

You mean Barry?!?

[Linda Anderson]

You mean Barry?!?

Barry Cauchon who, along with John Elliott, I wish would post more.

By the way, I was listening for the drums as the conspirators walked to the gallows but all I heard was background music. I did see a drummer boy, though, who did not appear to be playing his drum.

[BettyO]

Same here, Linda. I blew up that silly thing and I don't think either of those guards is Barry - JMO -

I do wish both would post more - but they're busy with their jobs....

Unfortunately, I'm getting to be the same way -

Great about the drums - and yes, I saw the young kid with the drum; but he sure wasn't playing it!

[LincolnMan]

In reality wasn't there a comment made concerning Mary and the umbrella?

[BettyO]

Bill -

Don't remember hearing that one - what was the story?

From the photographs, it appears that Mary Surratt and Powell were the only ones who had umbrellas; due to age and gender perhaps? The oldest of the condemned, also because she was a woman, and the youngest? Don't understand the reasoning behind that otherwise. The other two boys were in the hot, glaring sun....

[LincolnMan]

Betty: it was just something I thought I remembered. Probably cobwebs in my brain.

[LincolnMan]

Betty: did we spot them all?

[BettyO]

Bill, I think we did! You were great - as always! Thanks -

Although I love the movie, I don't know why they didn't just have the guys in stocking feet and Mary veiled - just simple things....but I guess they do what they do for the dramatic effect!

[L Verge]

Dramatic effect is exactly what it is all about. While we know that Mary was near death (literally) approaching the gallows and that Lew was the height of fortitude, it is much more effective to show the facial expressions of a strong Mary without the veil and the sniveling of a strong man brought down.

[Gene C]

Wasn't Lewis Powell's hair cut very, very short before the hanging. In the movie it's much longer.

[BettyO]

Good job, Gene! Yes! Lew was basically given a "crew cut" on July 4th right before the hanging. All of the "boys" had their hair cut at that time, according to Hartranft's letter books -

So yes, the movie Lew's hair was way too long!

[Jenny]

Dramatic effect is exactly what it is all about. While we know that Mary was near death (literally) approaching the gallows and that Lew was the height of fortitude, it is much more effective to show the facial expressions of a strong Mary without the veil and the sniveling of a strong man brought down.

Agreed! That's one of the other things that caught my eye since we know Mrs. Surratt was veiled, sedated, weeping, and generally "half-dead" during the final walk and on the scaffold. The film makers were going for a strong Mary Surratt who stoically faced death because they were big on the "unyielding mother dying in place of her son" theme.

I really did enjoy the movie overall despite inaccuracies and some miscasting. I will have to watch it again soon.

[BettyO]

All this is making me want to see the movie again as well, Jenny!

[historybuff22]

Same here, Linda. I blew up that silly thing and I don't think either of those guards is Barry - JMO -

I do wish both would post more - but they're busy with their jobs....

Unfortunately, I'm getting to be the same way -

Great about the drums - and yes, I saw the young kid with the drum; but he sure wasn't playing it!

Actually, the boy shown in the movie was John Collins and he wasn't a drummer boy. Rather, he was a 13-year-old that had snuck (or is it sneaked) into the hanging not realizing what he would actually see. He confessed that seeing the hanging made him very ill and gave him nightmares for years.

Rick Brown
HistoryBuff.com
A Nonprofit Organization

[BettyO]

I had read/heard that the boy was the son of one of the officers on post -