Libby is a 24-year-old Southern woman managing a small farm and gristmill in the Shenandoah Valley. Her husband, Peter, is a prisoner of war, leaving her fully responsible for the property and the safety of her household. Despite her Confederate ties, she strongly opposes enslavement and resents the burdens the conflict forces upon her. Her pragmatic, stoic nature is tested when she discovers an abandoned, severely wounded Union soldier and decides to harbor him, directly defying local military authority.

Jonathan is a young Union captain in the Vermont Brigade and a former professor of English literature at Middlebury College. After suffering catastrophic injuries in a skirmish at the Opequan River, his retreating army leaves him behind to die with only a few opium pills. He relies on his literary background to process his trauma and expresses deep guilt over the danger his presence brings to the Southern family attempting to save his life.

Henry Morgan is a Confederate lieutenant in the Sixth Virginia Cavalry. He operates with aggressive authority, demanding resources and labor from local farms to support the Southern cause. His initial guise of politeness toward the Steadman household quickly gives way to intimidation as he enforces military power over the civilian population and hunts for rumors of a hidden Union soldier.

Joseph is a freedman in his sixties who chose to remain at the Steadman farm as a paid employee after Peter Steadman granted him his freedom. He serves as a critical protector for the household, willing to use lethal force to defend Libby from intruders. His physical strength and quick calculations make him an essential asset in maintaining the farm and hiding the Union captain from Confederate scouts.

Sally is a freedwoman who works for wages at the Steadman farm alongside her husband, Joseph. She manages the household and possesses an extensive knowledge of natural medicinal cures. Steady and deeply religious, she uses her skills to treat Jonathan's severe injuries while maintaining a strong, self-assured composure that challenges his Northern assumptions about her life.

Jubilee is Libby's energetic, 12-year-old niece. Her mother passed away, and her father fights for the Confederacy, leaving her under Libby's guardianship. She is bold and unafraid to speak her mind, initially dubbing the hidden Union soldier a "jackal" due to her Southern upbringing. However, her natural curiosity soon draws her into lively conversations with the injured man.

Doc Norton is a local physician in the Shenandoah Valley. Having lost two sons to Northern forces, he harbors an intense hatred for the Union Army and President Lincoln. Despite his strong political prejudices and fondness for whiskey, he possesses the medical knowledge necessary to address severe battlefield infections, making him an uncomfortable necessity for Libby.

Peter is Libby's husband and a Confederate captain. He was taken prisoner after the Battle of Gettysburg, leaving Libby to manage his inherited property and mill alone. Before the war, he made the progressive decision to legally free the enslaved people he inherited from his father, a choice that still causes tension with some of the farm's neighbors.

Emily is Jonathan's wife, residing safely in Vermont with their two young sons. Her letters, characterized by a chatty and uncomplaining tone, provide Jonathan with a vital emotional connection to his life outside the war.

Eustis Marsh is a Union lieutenant serving alongside Jonathan Weybridge. As a helpful right-hand man, he proves critical during the chaos of the river skirmish, using his quick thinking and available materials to fashion a tourniquet that saves his commander's life.

Robert is Libby's brother and Jubilee's father. He serves as a Confederate captain fighting near Petersburg. A widower, he leaves his young daughter in his sister's care while he fulfills his military obligations on the front lines.

Leveritt Covington is an elderly neighbor of the Steadmans in Berryville. He holds strong Confederate sympathies and laments the changing, brutal nature of the war. His household dynamics and political leanings make him a risky confidant for Libby as she attempts to secure resources for her defense.

Darcy Sears is a Confederate lieutenant who visits the Steadman property following rumors of a hidden Yankee officer in the area. He attempts to assert his authority to search the house but is strategically outmaneuvered by Libby's strict adherence to social propriety.

Colonel Duffy is a Union officer stationed at the Harper's Ferry garrison. He commands the storehouse of supplies and holds the authority to grant medical resources to civilians who can prove they are aiding a wounded Union soldier.