On this day 250 years ago, Lord Dunmore commanding the northern wing of his invasion force attacking the Shawnees had crossed the Ohio River and was marching across Ohio toward the Shawnee villages. Col. Andrew Lewis was still reorganizing his command at Point Pleasant after their significant losses at the battle there three days earlier but received Dunmore’s order to cross the Ohio and march west to join Dunmore that morning.

Col. William Fleming was left behind in command of the camp at Point Pleasant although he had been seriously wounded in the battle. On this day he wrote his wife “that you may be convinced I am yet amongst the living” although he had “receivd three balls two through my left Arm, & one in my left breast, but I praise the Almighty, I did not fall and had strength with Assistance to reach my tent.” He was much more candid in a letter to Col. William Bowyer on the same day in describing the extent of his wounds:

I receivd three balls in the left Line two struck my left arm below the Elbow broke both the bones, & I find one of them is lodged in my arm. a third entered my breast about three Inches below my left Nipple and is lodged some where in the Chest. on finding my self effectually disabled I quitted the Field, when I came to be drest, I found my Lungs forced through the wound in my breast, as long as one of my fingars. Watkins Attempted to reduce them ineffectually, he got some part returned but not the whole, being in considerable pain, some time afterwards, I got the whole Returned by the Assistance of one of my Own Attendants, since which I thank the Almighty I have been in a surprizing state of ease. Nor did I ever know such daingerous wounds.

Sources: https://archive.wvculture.org/history/dunmore/ppfleminga.html;

https://archive.wvculture.org/history/dunmore/ppfleming.html; https://vtecworks.lib.vt.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/71162a0b-144f-48cd-b6da-567f105ba785/content