SALEM, Va. – Patchwork 250 is a new initiative from WSLS 10 that tells Virginia’s story, one piece at a time. Like a quilt made of many patches, every person, story, and tradition adds something special to our history. Join us as we celebrate 250 years by sharing the stories that make our region unique, one patch at a time.
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Colonel William Fleming and General Andrew Lewis are two local legends who helped shape Virginia and the nation. Their friendship, military leadership and political impact left a lasting mark on Southwest Virginia and American history.
“They were constantly doing things together, traveling together when they weren’t doing their respective work. And so then eventually, yes, Fleming moves down here and then Lewis moves to join him,” said a local historian.
Andrew Lewis
Lewis, an Irish officer, settled in Salem after receiving a land grant for his service and imprisonment during the French and Indian War. He led Virginia forces at the 1774 Battle of Point Pleasant and drove British Governor Lord Dunmore out in 1776, securing Virginia’s self-rule.
“George Washington is the one who campaigned hard, saying no, this was my friend. He fought hard. He is the reason that Virginia was freed. He’s the one who expelled Dunmore,” the historian added.
Salem was founded on land from Lewis’s Richfield estate, which was sold by his family in 1800, leading to the town’s establishment in 1802.
“He is in the heart of the county that he begins… he establishes this county and wants his home to be right here in this land that he’d fallen in love with,” the historian said.
William Fleming
Fleming, a Scottish surgeon, fought alongside Lewis and was wounded three times at Point Pleasant, ending his military career. He then served in politics, including a brief term as Virginia’s third governor, living out his days at Belmont Plantation.
“He wrote in his letters, there was nowhere that he loved living more than back at Belmont, back at our Roanoke Valley today. And so yes, he lived here until the very end,” the historian noted.
The 1774 Battle of Point Pleasant was crucial. Lewis and Fleming fought without the promised support of the British governor, sparking resentment that helped ignite the American Revolution.
“… it’s very important within the revolution because it starts to sow these seeds of resentment against Dunmore. Why wasn’t he there? Why wasn’t he fighting against them as he had promised that he would be?” the historian said.
Lewis and Fleming also worked behind the scenes with founding fathers like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson to secure Virginia’s freedom and lay the foundation for the United States.
“It’s important to remember that these are guys that are fighting for Virginia and who are helping secure Virginia’s freedom. That’s what allows us to have our own self-rule at the same time as all the other colonies to start to form the United States,” the historian concluded.
Want to discover more stories that make Virginia unique? Visit the Patchwork 250 page to explore the full quilt of our region’s history, one patch at a time.