"The Battle of Fort Scarlet" by Jon Bebbington
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Editorial Review
In The Battle of Fort Scarlet (2nd edition), Jon Bebbington casts us into the charged world of 1897 Saint Helena Island, South Carolina, as the shadows of the Spanish-American War stretch over a community caught between duty, love, and survival. The coastal fortification at the heart of the story becomes both a stage for military discipline and an emblem of the era's turbulent patriotism. Within its walls, soldiers toil and argue, while beyond, townsfolk watch history’s tides encroach upon their shores.
Bebbington’s narrative, a masterful fusion of historical fact and inventive fiction, unveils its tale with precision. From the ominous sinking of the USS Maine to moments of mundane military routine, the reader is enveloped in the texture of the time. Small, poignant details—a photographic plate brought to President McKinley, the cadence of a soldier’s salute—bring the era vividly to life. The prologue, hinting at the tragedy to come, skillfully sets the tone, while the early chapters immerse the reader in the construction of the titular fort, its looming presence a metaphor for human resilience and fragility.
The novel’s strength lies in its characters, who pulse with vitality. Captain Hawthorne’s authority meets its foil in First Lieutenant Fleming, their early exchanges sharp and brimming with unspoken tension. Meanwhile, townsfolk mingle with soldiers, their interactions adding layers of romance and intrigue. The speech patterns and setting descriptions evoke a tangible sense of place, anchoring the story in its Southern roots.
Transitions between scenes glide smoothly, though the wealth of historical detail may initially overwhelm. Yet this complexity mirrors the era’s chaos, rewarding patient readers with a narrative as rich as it is poignant. The novel’s end—a meditation on the scars of conflict—lingers long after the final page.
The Battle of Fort Scarlet is an evocative, deeply human chronicle of a nation and its people at a crossroads.
4 stars – Xanadu Book Awards
With deep ties to South Carolina, Jon Bebbington was born in Morristown, New Jersey and raised in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from UCLA and completed graduate work at the University of Colorado. Early on he worked for a legal nonprofit and later as an engineer. He volunteers as a docent at the Fort Fremont Preserve (The subject of the Battle of Fort Scarlet book).
Jon Bebbington is now working on a YA novel and is coauthoring a major university press coffee table book with several local scholars. He is also a voiceover performer and Civil War reenactor. Upcoming reenactments include the Battle of Broxton Bridge, and the Battle of Aiken.
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