Fielding Lewis, American Patriot

 

Wealthy merchant Fielding Lewis, the husband of George Washington’s only sister, Betty, was a colonel in the Spotsylvania County militia. More importantly he provided saltpeter, sulfur, powder, and lead for the production of ammunition. 

In 1775, Lewis was appointed with four others to establish and equip a manufactory of small arms for the newly formed Virginia government. Most of the operating capital for the new enterprise was provided by Fielding Lewis. By May 1777, the Fredericksburg Gunnery was producing twenty muskets, complete with bayonets each week. Lewis also outfitted ships for the Virginia Navy, most notably the Dragon which was built in Fredericksburg. The Dragon was initially used to protect the Rappahannock River from British and Loyalist raiders but was later used in the Chesapeake Bay.

Fielding Lewis’ patriotic zeal ruined him financially as he advanced increasingly large sums of money for the Patriot cause. Fielding Lewis died in December 1781, two months after the defeat of General Cornwallis at Yorktown.

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