Greetings from the left coast/soggy Seattle! When I was a little girl my dad was in the army and we were on Ft Benning back in the mid-60s but I haven't been back to Georgia since then. After living in mosquito filled but mostly bug free Alaska, don't know how well I'd do anymore in a warm climate.
By any chance did you watch the Minaturist on PBS? I think it was Masterpiece Theater.
There is a thread on the Off Topic forum about books, hope to see you there.