A seasoned officer from the French and Indian War, Putnam played a key role in the Battle of Bunker Hill, but his military career ended after a series of setbacks and a debilitating stroke.

Phillis Wheatley, an enslaved woman from Massachusetts, became a celebrated poet, publishing a book in 1773, corresponding with prominent figures like George Washington, and demonstrating the literary talent of African Americans before dying in poverty at 31.

A gambler, playwright, and general, Burgoyne saw action in the early years of the American Revolution. A witness of the Battle of Bunker Hill, Burgoyne would face the biggest stain on his reputation from his surrender at Saratoga in October of 1777.

Born into Scottish nobility, William Leslie pursued a military career with the British Army, confident in his superiority over the American rebels. However, his life was cut short at the Battle of Princeton, where, despite his disdain for the revolutionaries, he was honored in death by none other than General George Washington and his old friend, Benjamin Rush.