PatriotBenjamin Martin had seven children. His wife died giving birth to his youngest daughter, Susan. The Martin family lived in South Carolina, where they built a small house on a farm. The Martins were well known and liked by both the Patriots and Whigs. They only hired freedmen. Benjamin enjoyed making furniture; his main goal was to make the perfect chair, the three-pound rocking chair. His plantation, Fresh Water Plantation, was his retirement plan. The Patriot begins in March 1776, with a messenger from the Continental Mail Service delivering a stack of letters to Benjamin Martin. The most urgent letter was that of the President of the Assembly. Everyone who was old enough knew what that meant. Benjamin's sons thought the war was glorious and were thrilled with the letter. Benjamin, who was a veteran of the French and Indian War, was not. He had learned the hard way how gruesome war was and wanted nothing to do with it, nor with his family. His eldest son, Gabriel, was the one who scared him the most. Gabriel wanted to join the war and was old enough to do so. The note was an invitation to a meeting in Charles Town where the colonies would decide whether or not to join the cause. Benjamin and family left for Charles Town to stay with Aunt Charlotte on his mother's side. Benjamin and Charlotte had a spark between them, but Benjamin had not yet forgotten his wife. During the meeting, the discussion of why all the colonies should unite was in full force. Benjamin, who was thought to be a patriot, stood up and emphasized why he should not join the war, and offered an alternative to the war. At the end of the meeting, Martin said he would not agree to make a vow that would allow a war to continue in his backyard. Benjamin's sons were ashamed of their father's words. However, the tax was passed and Benjamin later joined Gabriel who was in line to enlist in the war. There was nothing he could do to change his son's mind. Colonial Harry Burwell told Martin that he would take care of his son. Gabriel was gone for almost two years. Benjamin's second eldest son, Thomas, also began to hunger for war. The war was getting ever closer to the Fresh Water Plantation. The shots were within earshot. Gabriel returned home wounded and bloodied. Soon the battle took place on Martin's land. His house was soon transformed into a hospital. Both Patriots... half of the paper... y, and if Burwell hadn't seen Martin in that time, he would have made the letter final. Martin went to his family, but was soon back at war within three weeks. About five months later, Martin and his militia climbed to the top of a nearby hill to see seven thousand French troops. There was also a barricade at sea, preventing the arrival of British supplies. A few weeks later, the British raised the white flag. General Washington thanked the militia profusely for their contributions to the war. Burwell and Martin talked about what they intended to do now that the war was finally over. So many things had changed; Martin had lost two of his boys. Burwell informed Martin that he had named his new son after Gabriel. Martin soon left for his family. His wife was pregnant, so he had to wait at the Gullah village until his eighth child was old enough to travel. He intended to rebuild Fresh Water Plantation, but was concerned because he didn't know how he would be able to finish it in time for the winter. When he arrived at his farm, he found that people were already building on his property. However he was happy when he.