Much has been made throughout American history of the hardships faced by the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. However, the war impacted not only the soldiers fighting the war but also the entire civilian population. In particular, families, even those far from the front lines, faced terrible challenges as the war raged. The Colliers focus on one family during the American Revolutionary War to represent the way war tears families apart. As the novel suggests, the Meeker family’s experiences are by no means unique; Tory families and Patriot families alike suffered loss, pain, and economic ruin during the war.

As the novel opens, the Meeker family is intact and prosperous. They own a well-established tavern in Redding, Connecticut. Mother and Father both work in the tavern, while their older son, Sam, is a student at Yale. That they can afford to send Sam to Yale and manage the workload without his help for most of the year speaks to their financial stability. Likewise, Tim helps with chores and minor tasks around the home and tavern but still has plenty of time to play with his friends.

Changes begin when 16-year-old Sam arrives and says that he has joined the colonial militia in order to fight the British.