"An hour later, after nightfall, he repassed the plantation, going northward in the direction from which he had come. He was a Federal scout." (Chapter 2, page 13)
I really wonder at this, because for a Federal scout to have come down just to trick Farquhar just seems very unrealistic. Maybe it was because the scout knew that Farquhar felt, "No service was too humble for him to perform in the aid of the South, no adventure too perilous for him to undertake if consistent with the character of a civilian who was at heart a soldier." But one last question comes to my mind, if the Union army really felt like Mr. Farquhar was a true threat why didn't the scout just kill him right then and there with Farquhar's wife? Why lead him into a trap? Maybe it was because he was still quite a ways away from the Union line and was going to explore more?
Good questions to think about, Alyssa. Was it possibly an accident that the scout happened upon Farquhar's home?
ReplyDeleteI don't think it was an accident at all. I think that the scout was trying to trace Farquhar's home.
DeleteI was thinking about this very thing as well. I also couldn't understand the true purpose of the federal soldier's visit. What was his motive in wanting to create a rebellious Farquhar? I too thought it was a trap that was created to capture him. It doesn't seem accidental, considering that the scout pretended to be on his side.
ReplyDeleteI think that the scout was on his way to do something else and had an idea to see if he could trick anyone. I am sure the union would have been quite happy to know some of the things that someone in a confederate uniform could learn.
ReplyDeleteThat could be true Bryce. Maybe he was curious as to what people were saying about his side, and wanted to get more info about the Confederate side's plans. He may have also just wanted to catch him in this trap, to make an example to the other confederate soldiers who passed by, seeing his body hanging from the bridge. To me it seems that the soldier mentioned that the wood of the bridge was flammable, so that Farquhar would plan to set it on fire, and be caught in the attempt.
DeleteThat is exactly right. Farquhar fell nice and neatly into the trap and was caught before he knew it. Very good point.
ReplyDeleteIt also says that the scout slowly passed the plantation to go back from where he came from. It seems as if the scout memorized where his house is so that he had a lead on Farquhar.
ReplyDeleteI didn't completely understand why Farquhar wasn't killed right away either. I mean he fell perfectly into their trap just like they wanted but wouldn't have killing him sooner still of made them happy?
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, is that they wanted others to learn from his mistake. I have a feeling that they tried to hang him, but he didn't die as soon as they expected. He was probably struggling but he didn't know it. He was most likely knocked unconscious almost as soon as the rope tightened about his neck. After a while they decided to put him out of his misery, so they hit him in the back of the head or neck. It says in this passage that is was the back of the neck. Typically, the back of the head is more fatal than the back of the neck. If that doesn't answer your question, then let me know.
ReplyDeleteOr he was struggling and one of the soldiers lifted the rope and let go. Then the rope would snap tight and that would explain the impact on the back of the neck.
ReplyDelete