Factual error: So the Civil War ends, and the colonel heads for Texas. It must have taken close to a decade to arrive there, for when he rides into Blackthorne, Texas, he's packing a Model 1873 Colt, and a Model 1873 Winchester.
Factual error: When the Japanese planes attack the airfield, none of the American planes have numbers or letters, just a star.
Factual error: The worst historical distortions in this film must concern legendary "Wild Bill" Hickock. First of all he wasn't killed by a teenage boy, but one John McCall, a man in his 30's. McCall sneaked behind Hickock who was in the middle of a poker game and shot him through the head killing him instantly. Secondly this took place on August 2 1876, about five weeks AFTER the Custer's Last Stand. (01:46:30)
Factual error: When Edgar the Butler directs the Old Solicitor upstairs they have a bit of a struggle with the steps. Before this you saw the Solicitor arriving in his car and this gave you an impression how high the first floor of the building of the Old Spinster was. Judging by the amount of steps on the stairs the pair would have ended up on the roof.
Factual error: When Clint Eastwood catches an Indian arrow in his left shoulder, he instructs Shirley MacLaine to prime the arrow shaft with gunpowder, which he then ignites as she forces the shaft all the way through his shoulder. Presumably, the burning gunpowder would cauterize the wound all the way through his body, or that's what the filmmakers asked the audience to believe. In reality, gunpowder is historically well-known for causing gangrene in open wounds. With a shoulder full of gunpowder cinders, Clint Eastwood should have died of gangrene and sepsis by the end of the movie.