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McCullough also sheds new light on how the war went down by focusing on minor, for lack of a better word, characters in the armies. For example, McCullough highlights the lives of specific Continental soldiers, like the brave Israel Putnam, a "hero of the Battle of Bunker Hill, who at fifty-seven was known affectionately as 'Old Put'" (34) and small soldiers like Private Joseph Martin, who at 15 was rather excited for the war, enjoying the "muttering of cannon fire thinking the sound was musical, or at least grand" (138). Martin ended up becoming enamored with the war, and would "serve to the end" (293) By giving multiple accounts both by high ranking army officials and seemingly minor nobodies, McCullough is able to weave together a consistent narrative with emotion and understandable characters. .
Even on the British side, McCullough humanizes proud Loyalists like Dr. Sylvester Gardiner, who believed living under British rule had colonials enjoy "so much liberty" already under the "mild indulgent government of England", (101) despite the fact that colonists still had to pay hefty taxes and be shut out of business opportunities from other countries. Another Loyalist named Theophilus Lillie felt his own liberties were being taken away, stating "it seemed strange to me that people who contend so much for civil and religious liberty should be so ready to deprive others of their natural liberty" (101). Considering that many Revolutionaries led mob assaults before Washington could regulate them, it is not at all surprising that they would consider the American Patriots just another unruly mob wanting to take money and power. McCullough even highlighted the actions of the first American traitor Dr. Benjamin Church, who despite being the surgeon general of the army, a member of the Provincial Congress and "an outspoken Patriot," was secretly "corresponding with the British in cypher, and was in their pay" (55).