The story begins in November 1770 in
Auvergne,
France, near
Chavaniac. Seventeen-year-old Philippe Charboneau, illegitimate son of James Amberly, the 6th Duke of Kent, travels with his mother, Marie, to
Kent, England, to stake their claim to his inheritance. When they arrive, the Duke's family refuses to recognize Philippe as the son of the Duke. During one violent altercation, Philippe badly injures the Duke’s legitimate son, Roger Amberly, effectively crippling his hand. Lacking the funds to return to France, Marie and Philippe flee to
London, where Philippe learns the printing trade and makes plans to emigrate to America.
Benjamin Franklin visits the printing shop where Philippe is working and further reinforces his desire to go to America, but Marie, still determined to pursue her son’s inheritance, is against such a trip. However, an armed scoundrel hired by a vengeful Roger Amberly tries to kill Philippe with a pistol, forcing Philippe and Marie to escape to America immediately. During their transatlantic journey, Marie dies of
dysentery and is buried at sea, and Philippe decides to adopt an
Anglicized version of his name, renaming himself Philip Kent. Philip arrives in
Boston,
Massachusetts, penniless, becoming homeless and starving. He is introduced to
Benjamin Edes, the editor of the
Boston Gazette, who gives Philip a job at his publishing firm. Through this job, Philip meets Abraham Ware, who often contributes to articles to the paper, and his daughter Anne, whom Philip begins courting. Philip participates in the
Boston Tea Party and then joins the Boston Grenadier Company under
Henry Knox. A number of measures are enacted after the Tea Party to punish the colonists in Boston. One of these acts, the
Quartering Act, particularly angers Abraham Ware, because he is required to house a British soldier in his home. George Lumden, the sergeant who is quartered in the Wares' house, falls in love with Daisy O'Brian, the Wares' cook, and decides to desert the British army. Philip, who wants Lumden's musket, encourages the sergeant to do so and even employs a local boy to assist him in taking the musket. However, the boy betrays Philip and informs on Lumden to the commander of his unit, who is none other than Roger Amberly. Roger goes to the Wares' house in search of Lumden, but finds only Anne. When Philip arrives, Roger recognizes and attacks him. Philip stabs his half-brother in the stomach with a bayonet and flees with Lumden for Daisy's father's farm, near
Concord, Massachusetts. Anne and Daisy join them at the farm some time later and inform him that Roger survived. He was taken to
Philadelphia to be treated privately, along with his fiancée Alicia Parkhurst. Philip, who once had an affair with Alicia, leaves Concord to see her in Philadelphia. Roger dies before Philip reaches the city. Philip meets with Alicia, who tells him she wants to marry him, but Philip realizes this is only because he is now the Duke's only heir. Philip informs Alicia that he no longer loves her and has decided to give up any claim to his inheritance. On his return from Philadelphia to Concord, Philip participates in
Paul Revere's "
midnight ride" to warn the Patriots that the British army is coming. Philip tries to see Anne, but her father will not allow him to. Philip participates in the
Battle of Concord and afterwards is finally reunited with Anne. He tells her that he plans to marry her and then leaves to continue fighting in the
war against the British. ==Adaptation==