1. Moderator - - This person is impartial and neutral. At no time will he attempt to influence anyone's vote.

2. Matt Tavern - - 16 years old. He attends Yale College rather than working in his father's tavern and helping with the family store. His family has agreed to spare him from the family business so that he can get an education. Matt has been active in debates for the patriotic side of the war and has enlisted in the Continental army to fight the King and to remain an American. He has stolen his father's musket, "Brown Bess" to fight in the war. (PATRIOT)

3. Chris Tavern - - 13 years old. Chris idolizes his older brother and everything he does. Chris lives at home in the family's combined tavern and store and does all the chores around the tavern and store because his brother, Matt, is away at college. Chris can often hear travelers and customers speaking of war news. Chris can be swayed to the views of a Patriot, like Matt, or a Loyalist, like his father, Zeb. (NEUTRAL)

4. Zeb Tavern - Father of Matt and Chris, Zeb owns and runs the tavern and store. He has fought in the French and Indian War and seen the horrors that accompany war. He wants to keep out of this upcoming war. He does believe in being loyal to the King. (LOYALIST)

5. Abigail Tavern - - Wife of Zeb and mother of Chris and Matt. She is a soft-spoken woman and keeps her feelings inside her. She usually lets her husband do the talking. She is a hard worker around the tavern. When she is stirred up, she will speak up. (LOYALIST)

6. Mr. Preacher - - A close follower of the King. He preaches against the Patriots. He embarrasses families who side with the Patriots. He is paid for his services by the food and money the townspeople give him. If the town fails, he is out of a job and food. (LOYALIST)

7. John Torypate - - A wealthy nobleman living in a large mansion in Redding. Mr. Torypate's allegiance is not well known to the people. He speaks to Patriots and Loyalists. He many be a double agent, a spy for the Patriots or for the Loyalists. He always has money and food. People do not trust him because they are not sure of his political leanings. (PATRIOT OR LOYALIST?)

8. Ed Banker - - A banker in Redding who definitely favors the Loyalist side. He will allow no credit to people who deposit commissary scrip. He will only honor Loyalist money backed by the Exchequer of England. He is a likeable person, but separates business from pleasure and will not give a loan just because you are his friend. (LOYALIST)

9. Professor Scholar - - An educated former college professor, Mr. Scholar has been keeping up with both the Loyalist and Patriot causes by reading both newspapers, although to read the Loyalist (Tory) papers at this time, was illegal. He has seen the same incident reported in different ways depending upon which paper he is reading. Mr. Scholar has many friends and can be counted on to come up with good suggestions because he is not involved directly with the war. (NEUTRAL)

10. Susannah Green - - Widow of a soldier who had been fighting on the Patriot side, Mrs. Green hates all Tories for what they did to her husband. In town, she has refused to help in any way to help the Tory sympathizers even by giving travelers food or a place to sleep. (PATRIOT)

11. Josh Brewer - - Orphaned when he was 10 years old, Josh is being raised by Professor Scholar. He has had many discussions about the war with the professor and has not yet decided which side he will favor. He is now 13 years old and he is a friend of Chris Tavern. His parents had raised him to look at both sides of an issue. His parents died of cholera. (NEUTRAL)

12. Adam Hobart - - Adam is a trader and spends much of his time in different parts of the country. He feels comfortable with the animals way up in timber country and he does not feel one way or the other about the war. He figures they will settle it without him. He is away from Redding most of the time. All he wants is to be left alone to do his trapping and trading. He came to this meeting because he wanted to know whom he would be dealing with in the future when he was getting paid for his furs. (NEUTRAL)

13. General X. Ample - - This Patriot general believes in discipline for his soldiers. He is always setting examples of strict behavior so his soldiers will not desert his regiment. He uses fear for discipline. He is not fair. Hie is not liked by his soldiers. His life has been threatened many times. He is at this meeting because he is stationed in Redding with the commissary buyer scouting ahead to buy food for his soldiers. (PATRIOT)

14. Cyrus Butcher - - A Tory and the only butcher in Redding. He slaughters meat and cures it for food for the people. He sells it to the townspeople. He gets much of his cattle and meat from nearby towns. His business is a cash business and he prefers not to take commissary scrip. Patriots have stolen some of his beef from his warehouses in the past and he dislikes this. (LOYALIST)

15. Jonah Inkspot - - The local newspaper publisher, Mr. Inkspot has Patriot inclinations. He reports the news as he sees it. He has a tendency to over-react to statements and to exaggerate his writing.

16. Commissary Buyer - - The Patriots send ahead a buyer to purchase the food and materials they will need for their troops. This commissary buyer pays for the materials using commissary scrip (unless he happens to have Loyalist money). Commissary scrip is money printed by the Continentals, as they need it. Most of the time, there is no gold to back it up so it is worthless. Because of commissary scrip both Patriot and Loyalist merchants dislike doing business with the commissary buyer. (PATRIOT)

17. Mr. Samuel Adams - - Guest Patriot speaker and recruiter. Mr. Adams is well known for his anti-British feeling and his ways of creating problems to stir up the people against the Loyalists. His information may be correct but he often holds back on some of the facts so that his listeners do not know all the information to make their decisions. (PATRIOT)

18. Mr. Cornwallis - - A Loyalist guest speaker and recruiter, Mr. Cornwallis is a true subject of the king. He has come all the way from England to command the Loyalist troops. He is aware that the colonists are responsible to the mother country for their existence. The Loyalist troops came to the aid of the colonies in previous wars, and Mr. Cornwallis sees no reason for their attitude to rebel against the king now. (LOYALIST)

19. Jonathan Farmer - - A Redding farmer, Mr. Farmer works hard to support his family. He raises his own vegetables and cattle so his family has food. He, his wife, and his two sons prefer to live on the outskirts of town without becoming involved in the war. (NEUTRAL)

20. Ned Butcher - - Son of Cyrus Butcher, Ned helps his father with the family business. He makes many trips to other towns to trade for cattle and brings them back to Redding for his father to slaughter and sell. (LOYALIST)

21. Nellie Brown - - The schoolteacher in town, Nellie has not made up her mind as to whether she will favor the Patriots or the Loyalists. She has no family in Redding and lives alone taking care of her own needs. (NEUTRAL)

22. Tom Omaha - - An Indian living in Redding, Mr. Omaha has no tribesmen living nearby. He gets along well with the people in Redding. He does scouting for Mr. Butcher and his son when they take their long trips to other towns. He works for Mr. Farmer when Mr. Farmer hires him during the season. He helps Mr. Inkspot by delivering news to nearby towns, telling what is happening in Redding and bringing back written information about what is happening in other towns. (NEUTRAL)

The original works contained on these pages may not be duplicated without expressed written permission of Marjorie Duby, except where otherwise noted.