"Quaint and Historic Forts of North America" is a historical novel looking at the origins of various forts built in the United States. The forts are a reminder of the military acumen of the inhabitants, spanning across several centuries. Many of them are the works of the diverse Europeans who migrated to the American colonies, bringing with them their architectural influences. As the author explains, "We behold the Indian in possession though we do not know who was his predecessor in holding the land... There come the Spanish with their relentless persecutions of the natives. There come the English, French, Dutch, and Swedish. And the claims of each clash, to at length give way—despite the military acumen of the French—to the steady, home-building genius of the English."