Curzon is a sixteen-year-old runaway slave who eventually enlists in the Colonial Army. Following his separation from his friend Isabel, he works as a ferryman for an unscrupulous conveyancer before heading into the wilderness alone. He carries an honest perspective on the revolution, recognizing the hypocrisy of fighting for liberty while slavery persists. He relies on his wits and courage to survive the freezing conditions at the Valley Forge encampment.

Isabel is a strong-willed teenage runaway bearing a brand on her cheek. She previously helped Curzon escape confinement, but the two part ways after arguing over her determination to search for her lost sister in Charleston. She possesses a fierce independence that allows her to endure severe hardships while attempting to reunite her family.

Eben is a gap-toothed young soldier in the Continental Army who meets Curzon during a woodland skirmish. He holds a cheerful, naive belief in the revolution and looks up to his uncle. His upbringing leaves him initially unable to comprehend the harsh realities faced by enslaved people, causing friction with his friends.

Bellingham is the son of a judge and the man who originally claimed ownership of Curzon. Though he operates as an attaché to members of the Continental Congress, the war has severely diminished his wealth. He masks his cruelty behind polite manners while treating enslaved people entirely as property to secure his own political advancement.

Caleb serves as a sergeant in the Colonial Army. He acts as a surrogate father to his nephew and maintains order among the enlisted men. He insists on proper military discipline, ensuring the heavy labor of building cabins at Valley Forge continues despite the freezing weather.

Burns is a bigoted soldier who actively attempts to sow discord within the unit. He uses flattery to gain favor with his superiors and avoid strenuous labor. He constantly targets those he deems inferior, creating a hostile environment in the camp through manipulation and intimidation.

Gideon is a large, quiet servant who works at Moore Hall. He displays absolute loyalty to his master and strictly polices the behavior of the other enslaved workers. He functions almost as an extension of the household's oppressive rules by eavesdropping on conversations and reporting infractions.

Sylvanus is an older veteran soldier stationed at Valley Forge. He guides the younger privates through survival strategies, including the proper method for baking coarse firecake on campfire stones. He views the harsh camp conditions as a test of the army's fundamental character.

Trumbull is an unscrupulous conveyancer who employs Curzon to ferry supplies. He refuses to pay fair wages for hard labor and quickly resorts to loud accusations of theft when confronted by authorities.

Ruth is Isabel's younger sister. She was sold and sent away to the "islands" prior to the current events of the story, serving as the primary motivation for Isabel's dangerous journey south.

Benjamin is an educated young soldier who entertains his freezing unit with tales from classical mythology. He joined the military after his wealthy father disowned him for supporting American independence over attending university.

Colonel Hardenburgh is a wealthy militia leader who hosts a dinner for the officers at his sprawling, multi-barn mansion. He maintains strict racial prejudices and assumes any black man on his property must be an enslaved servant.

Bett is an enslaved woman forced to work in the massive kitchens at Colonel Hardenburgh's sprawling Kingston estate while the militia camps outside.

Baumfree is an enslaved man laboring at Colonel Hardenburgh's mansion, part of the invisible workforce supporting the wealthy militia leader's lavish lifestyle.

Brown is a soldier in the Continental Army who forms a tentative friendship with Curzon before falling severely ill from the camp's freezing conditions and lack of adequate shelter.

Greenlaw is an enlisted soldier who questions the rigid military hierarchy, loudly suggesting that officers should share their superior rations with starving troops.

Reilly is a soldier whose execution for attempting to flee the camp and free confined friends sparks an intense moral debate among the freezing troops regarding divine mercy versus military discipline.

Faulkner is an enlisted man at Valley Forge. His ruined footwear serves as a visual representation of the Continental Army's dire lack of basic supplies, leading to a negotiation over borrowing his boots.

Missus Cook is an older kitchen servant at Moore Hall with missing teeth. She attempts to keep peace among the staff by offering gentle, practical advice regarding interpersonal conflicts.

John Laurens is an abolitionist member of General Washington's cabinet. He floats a proposal to compensate slave owners for enlisting their enslaved workers, drawing mockery from other wealthy guests at Moore Hall.