Visible crew/equipment: At the surrender of the fort, as the English are marching out, Monroe, says "The fort is yours, Monsieur." Right as he speaks, look between the two horses' heads. In the distant valley you can see what are either two tourist busses or perhaps mobile catering vans. (01:05:40)
Revealing mistake: Near the very end of the movie, when Magua has taken Uncas' love interest (Madeleine Stowe's character's sister) and he is taking a path through the mountain, Daniel Day-Lewis runs up a path and brushes against what seems to be a rock. But, the grey coloured "rock" seems to be a prop and moves like a piece of cloth.
Visible crew/equipment: In the hunting scene at the beginning, you can see a man with a red cap on the right side of the screen, above the running deer. (00:03:20)
Visible crew/equipment: When the people are all marched out of the fort, in the lower right hand corner there is a guy wearing a blue baseball hat.
Visible crew/equipment: As the English are leaving the fort, if you look right after that between the soldiers and down toward the beach, you'll see what looks like a blue and white umbrella where someone is sunning themselves by the lake. (01:12:25)
Revealing mistake: After they leave the fort, in the forest glade when the Huron start hollering, the air above the soldiers is very clear. But in the next shot just when the guns start to fire, there is a smoky haze hanging over the forest. Apparently the first attempt to film this scene didn't make it to film and some of the residual smoke was still there when they filmed it the second time.
Factual error: During the battle over the fort the British shoot a red flare into the sky. The British army learnt of the effectiveness of rocket weapons when fighting in India in the 1790s. In 1804, rockets (developed by Colonel William Congreve) were introduced into British service. The rocket flare was developed around this time (also by Colonel Congreve). This film is set in the 1750s - the British army would not have had rocket flares (source: Taylor, J.W.R (1970). Rockets & Missiles, Hamlyn, London. PP. 6-10). (00:34:30)
Factual error: Toward the beginning of the film, when Natty Bumppo first arrives at this friends' cabin, he mentions that he was coming from Schuylerville. This is an anachronism as Schuylerville, NY, was named after the victorious General Schuyler at the Battle of Saratoga in 1779, which would not take place until 20 years after the events of the film. The town would not assume the name for another 50 years after that.
Other mistake: On the way to fort Henry Magua starts his attack by hitting a soldier with his axe. Before being hit the soldier smiles into the camera (seen through Magua's eyes), but doesn't even look when he is being hit, seen from the side. (00:17:10)
Revealing mistake: When Magua hits the British soldier with his axe before the ambush, it's quite obvious the soldier has been replaced by a dummy. (00:17:10)
Continuity mistake: When Duncan tries to explain his version of the raid of the Camerons' lodge to Cora part of his uniform is a read seat-belt-like piece of cloth. This wasn't there in the scene preceding imediately. (00:47:30)
Visible crew/equipment: At the beginning of the scene, when the evicted fort dwellers are making their way through the forest, as the column moves away from the camera, a crew member with a red baseball cap and a megaphone comes into shot.
Visible crew/equipment: As they are leaving the fort, during the point of view shot of Cora, on the left hand side of the screen, a black gas canister can be seen.
Continuity mistake: When Daniel Day Lewis, his brother and father are going after the Munro girls and the officer, in one scene where the dark haired Munro girl falls against a bush and breaks the branches. If you look closely at the scene before, the branches are already broken.
Continuity mistake: At the dinner at the Camerons' lodge Mrs. Cameron's bangs change from shot to shot. (00:06:25)
Revealing mistake: Uncas dies and falls off the cliffside. Immediately after this happens, Hawkeye comes into view through a passage in the rocks. If you look at the rock to Hawkeye's left, when he touches it with his hand, it flexes.
Continuity mistake: During the battle over the fort the protagonists' group approaches the fort by canoe, with the women sitting in the canoe and the men guiding it wading through the water. In the shots showing Cora's face Alice is not in the canoe. (00:35:20)
Continuity mistake: After the fight on the way to Fort Henry Duncan's temple curls disappear. (00:21:15)
Continuity mistake: When Magua is leading the troop into the ambush he turns around and walks towards the troop. When it cuts to a shot behind him we see him lifting up his right arm. When it cuts his arm is down. (00:16:55)
Continuity mistake: During the walk to Fort William Henry, at one point, Uncas, the true Mohican son, turns to look at Alice who is struggling and his earring is in his right ear. During the rest of the movie, the earring is in the left ear.
Answer: Major Hayward is supporting one of the soldiers as they enter the cave. After they make their way down the rocks, he puts the soldier down on the ground. The other soldier appears to be killed by one of Magua's gang.