William Fleming (governor)
Encyclopedia
Colonel William Fleming (February 18, 1729 August 5, 1795) was a physician, soldier, statesman, and planter who briefly acted as the Governor of Virginia
during the American Revolutionary War
. He is often confused with his contemporary, Judge William Fleming, who served in the Virginia legislature and was a delegate to the Continental Congress
.
Fleming was born in Jedburgh
, Scotland
, to Leonard and Dorthea Fleming. He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh
and then entered the Royal Navy
, serving as a surgeon's mate. While in the service, he was captured and imprisoned by the Spanish. After his release, he resigned from the navy and in 1755 emigrated to Virginia.
During the French and Indian War
, Fleming was commissioned an ensign in George Washington
's Virginia Regiment
, and served as a surgeon in the Forbes expedition
and in the Anglo-Cherokee War
, among other actions. When the war ended in 1763, he married Anne Christian (sister of William Christian
) and settled at Staunton, Virginia
, where he practiced medicine. In 1768 he retired from medicine to farm at his estate called "Bellmont" in Botetourt County (now Montgomery County
). His investments in land eventually made him wealthy.
In Dunmore's War
(1774), Colonel Fleming led the Botetourt County militia at the Battle of Point Pleasant
. He continued to lead his men after being shot twice, but a third, more serious wound forced his withdrawal. A musket ball lodged in his chest was never removed and often caused him pain. Disabilities from these wounds, from which he never fully recovered, prevented his military service in the American Revolutionary War. The Virginia Assembly awarded him £500 in compensation.
Fleming was active in politics during the American Revolution
, representing a western district as a member of the Senate of Virginia
. In 1781, British forces invaded Virginia and scattered Governor Thomas Jefferson
and the Virginia legislature. When the legislature reconvened at Staunton, Jefferson's term had expired, and so Fleming, as senior member of the Virginia Council present, acted unofficially as governor. He served in this capacity from 1 June to 12 June, when Thomas Nelson
was elected by the legislature as the next governor. During this brief time Fleming called out the Virginia militia
to oppose the British invasion. A later resolution of the legislature retroactively legalized his actions. For this reason, he is regarded as the third governor of the commonwealth.
During and after the War for Independence, Fleming headed commissions to Kentucky
to settle land disputes and attend to other official business. In 1784 he attended the Danville Convention, which paved the way for Kentucky's separation from Virginia. His final public service was as a Botetourt County delegate to the 1788 Virginia Ratifying Convention
, which ratified the U.S. Constitution. Fleming had reservations about the new constitution, but he voted in favor of ratification as instructed by his constituents.
William Fleming High School
in Roanoke, Virginia
, is named for him. Their mascot is "The Colonel".
Archival Records
Governor of Virginia
The governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term. The position is currently held by Republican Bob McDonnell, who was inaugurated on January 16, 2010, as the 71st governor of Virginia....
during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. He is often confused with his contemporary, Judge William Fleming, who served in the Virginia legislature and was a delegate to the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
.
Fleming was born in Jedburgh
Jedburgh
Jedburgh is a town and former royal burgh in the Scottish Borders and historically in Roxburghshire.-Location:Jedburgh lies on the Jed Water, a tributary of the River Teviot, it is only ten miles from the border with England and is dominated by the substantial ruins of Jedburgh Abbey...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, to Leonard and Dorthea Fleming. He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
and then entered the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, serving as a surgeon's mate. While in the service, he was captured and imprisoned by the Spanish. After his release, he resigned from the navy and in 1755 emigrated to Virginia.
During the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
, Fleming was commissioned an ensign in George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
's Virginia Regiment
Virginia Regiment
The Virginia Regiment was formed in 1754 by Virginia's Royal Governor Robert Dinwiddie, initially as an all volunteer militia corps, and he promoted George Washington, the future first president of the United States of America, to its command upon the death of Colonel Joshua Fry...
, and served as a surgeon in the Forbes expedition
Forbes Expedition
The Forbes Expedition was a British military expedition led by Brigadier-General John Forbes in 1758, during the French and Indian War. Its objective was the capture of Fort Duquesne, a French fort constructed at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers in 1754.The expedition...
and in the Anglo-Cherokee War
Anglo-Cherokee War
The Anglo-Cherokee War , also known as the Cherokee War, the Cherokee Uprising, the Cherokee Rebellion, was a conflict between British forces in North America and Cherokee Indians during the French and Indian War...
, among other actions. When the war ended in 1763, he married Anne Christian (sister of William Christian
William Christian (Virginia)
William Christian was an "Indian fighter", Continental soldier, militiaman and politician from Virginia who served in the era of the American Revolution. He was a signatory to the Fincastle Resolutions and founder of Fort William...
) and settled at Staunton, Virginia
Staunton, Virginia
Staunton is an independent city within the confines of Augusta County in the commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 23,746 as of 2010. It is the county seat of Augusta County....
, where he practiced medicine. In 1768 he retired from medicine to farm at his estate called "Bellmont" in Botetourt County (now Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 83,629 people, 30,997 households, and 17,203 families residing in the county. The population density was 215 people per square mile . There were 32,527 housing units at an average density of 84 per square mile...
). His investments in land eventually made him wealthy.
In Dunmore's War
Dunmore's War
Dunmore's War was a war in 1774 between the Colony of Virginia and the Shawnee and Mingo American Indian nations....
(1774), Colonel Fleming led the Botetourt County militia at the Battle of Point Pleasant
Battle of Point Pleasant
The Battle of Point Pleasant, known as the Battle of Kanawha in some older accounts, was the only major battle of Dunmore's War. It was fought on October 10, 1774, primarily between Virginia militia and American Indians from the Shawnee and Mingo tribes...
. He continued to lead his men after being shot twice, but a third, more serious wound forced his withdrawal. A musket ball lodged in his chest was never removed and often caused him pain. Disabilities from these wounds, from which he never fully recovered, prevented his military service in the American Revolutionary War. The Virginia Assembly awarded him £500 in compensation.
Fleming was active in politics during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, representing a western district as a member of the Senate of Virginia
Senate of Virginia
The Senate of Virginia is the upper house of the Virginia General Assembly. The Senate is composed of 40 Senators representing an equal number of single-member constituent districts. The Senate is presided over by the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia...
. In 1781, British forces invaded Virginia and scattered Governor Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
and the Virginia legislature. When the legislature reconvened at Staunton, Jefferson's term had expired, and so Fleming, as senior member of the Virginia Council present, acted unofficially as governor. He served in this capacity from 1 June to 12 June, when Thomas Nelson
Thomas Nelson, Jr.
Thomas Nelson, Jr. was an American planter, soldier, and statesman from Yorktown, Virginia. He represented Virginia in the Continental Congress and was its Governor in 1781. He is regarded as one of the U.S. Founding Fathers since he signed the Declaration of Independence as a member of the...
was elected by the legislature as the next governor. During this brief time Fleming called out the Virginia militia
Virginia Militia
The Virginia militia is an armed force composed of all citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia capable of bearing arms. The Virginia militia was established in 1607 as part of the British militia system. Militia service in Virginia was compulsory for all free males...
to oppose the British invasion. A later resolution of the legislature retroactively legalized his actions. For this reason, he is regarded as the third governor of the commonwealth.
During and after the War for Independence, Fleming headed commissions to Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
to settle land disputes and attend to other official business. In 1784 he attended the Danville Convention, which paved the way for Kentucky's separation from Virginia. His final public service was as a Botetourt County delegate to the 1788 Virginia Ratifying Convention
Virginia Ratifying Convention
The Virginia Ratifying Convention was a convention of 168 delegates from Virginia who met in 1788 to ratify or reject the United States Constitution, which had been drafted at the Philadelphia Convention the previous year.The Convention met and deliberated from June 2 through June 27 in Richmond...
, which ratified the U.S. Constitution. Fleming had reservations about the new constitution, but he voted in favor of ratification as instructed by his constituents.
William Fleming High School
William Fleming High School
William Fleming High School is a public high school in the Miller Court/Arrowood neighborhood of Roanoke, Virginia, U.S.A.. It is one of the two general enrollment high schools for the Roanoke City Public Schools.-History:...
in Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
, is named for him. Their mascot is "The Colonel".
External links
- "Marking History" from The News LeaderThe News LeaderThe News Leader is a daily newspaper owned by Gannett Company, serving Staunton, Virginia and the surrounding areas. The paper was founded in 1904 by Brig. Gen. Hierome L. Opie as The Evening Leader....
of Staunton, VirginiaStaunton, VirginiaStaunton is an independent city within the confines of Augusta County in the commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 23,746 as of 2010. It is the county seat of Augusta County....
has an entry about Fleming in Staunton. The article makes the common error of stating that Fleming served in the Continental Congress, confusing him with Judge Fleming. - The statutes at large: being a collection of all the laws of Virginia, Virginia resolution from 23 June 1781 legalizing Fleming's actions as acting governor
Archival Records