Notes
This letter was written by Patrick Henry to Colonel William Fleming (1727-1795) in August 1792. At that time, Henry lived at Pleasant Grove plantation in Prince Edward County, where he owned 2,920 acres of land.
Colonel Fleming was born in Jedburgh, Scotland, on February 7, 1727. In 1746, he began formal study of medicine at the University of Edinburgh. He then entered the Royal Navy, supposedly serving as a surgeon's mate and surviving capture and imprisonment by the Spanish. After his release, Fleming resigned from the navy and emigrated to the Virginia colony.
During the French and Indian War, Fleming served as a surgeon in numerous regiments. While on leave in Staunton, Virginia, Fleming married Anne Christian (1744-1810), daughter of Col. Israel Christian (a wealthy landowner and the county's representative in the Virginia House of Burgesses) in 1763. When the war ended in 1763, Miller settled at Staunton, Virginia, and practiced medicine.
In 1768, Fleming retired from medicine in Augusta County, moved southward, and built "Belle Mount" or "Belmont" on land his father-in-law had given him in the Roanoke Valley. These gifts, his medical practice, and his further investments in land individually and through the Loyal Company of Virginia eventually made Fleming wealthy. In 1770, Botetourt County was split from what had been the vast Augusta County. Fleming became a justice of the peace in the new county and later justice of the county court, which eventually ordered the establishment of a Court House.
In Dunmore's War (1774), Colonel Fleming led the Botetourt County militia along with other troops under the guidance of the experienced Col. Andrew Lewis at the Battle of Point Pleasant.
Fleming remained active in politics during the American Revolution, representing a western district as a member of the Senate of Virginia. In January 1781, British forces invaded Virginia and scattered the remaining Virginia legislators from Richmond, as well as forced Governor Thomas Jefferson to flee into the mountains. When the legislature reconvened at Staunton, Jefferson's term had expired, so Fleming, as the senior member of the Virginia Council present, acted unofficially as governor. He served in this capacity from June 4 to 12, when the reconvened legislature elected Thomas Nelson as the next governor. During this brief time, Fleming called out the Virginia militia to oppose the British invasion by Benedict Arnold, Banastre Tarleton, and others. The legislature retroactively legalized his actions. For this reason, Fleming is listed as the third governor of the Commonwealth.
This letter was written to thank Fleming for caring for one of Henry's sons, Edward "Neddy" Henry (1771–1794). In the summer of 1792, Edward was struck by a mysterious disease, likely gout, while visiting Fleming's home. The illness particularly afflicted his leg, restricting his travel and forcing him to stay at Fleming's until recovery. Patrick Henry felt a deep obligation for his assistance and expressed his gratitude to Fleming.
On January 9, 2023, PHMF Curator Cody Youngblood contacted Guy Dixon regarding this letter, asking if it could be given to or placed on loan with PHMF. Mr. Dixon's father, Gene Dixon, formerly served on the PHMF Board of Directors. Mr. Dixon agreed to put the letter on loan. The letter arrived at PHMF in May 2023.