Red Belts

Set in 1784 on the western North Carolina frontier, the narrative follows the over-mountain settlers of the Watauga country as they confront lawlessness, violent raids, and political intrigue. Isolated communities around Jonesboro face ambuscades by Creek and Cherokee warriors, attacks by white renegades, and covert interference tied to Spanish ambitions at New Orleans. Local taverns, backwoods tribunals, and rough justice shape daily life while individuals grapple with survival, loyalty, and the strains between state indifference and emerging national identity. Through skirmishes, clandestine plots, and personal reckonings, the work traces the harsh forging of a frontier society and its resilient spirit.