Private Friedrich Lindau

King’s German Legion

The hero of the defence of La Haye Saint was Friedrich Lindau. He was the only ranking soldier mentioned by name in Major Baring’s account and was awarded the Guelphic Medal for Bravery for his part in the defence of the farm.

 

He was born 1787 in the German town of Hameln. He journeyed to England to enlist in the KGL, serving for three years in the Peninsular War and fighting in countless skirmishes and battles including Albuhera, Salamanca, Vittoria and Bayonne. He survived the Forlorn Hope at San Sebastian. Lindau was a notorious forager, looter, thief and all round villain, but he seemed always to escape punishment, even after he murdered a civilian with his sword bayonet in a tavern brawl whilst on leave in 1814. For this crime he received only a telling off by his Colonel.

 

He fought with great courage at Waterloo and was wounded in the head and captured when La Haye Saint fell, but was later released. He was discharged from the KGL in 1816 and returned home. He wrote a very entertaining account of his military life. Here is his account of the part he played in the defence of La Haye Saint :-

 

“We held our position, but, as we were threatened to be cut off by an enemy assault, we slowly retreated to the barn where there was heavy hand to hand fighting.  We fought, therefore, at least half an hour in front of the closed gates. The Frenchmen were so thick that often one bullet killed two or three of them. We finally chased them back over the hedge and were assisted by a detachment of English Hussars.

 

We took up our position again, but within half an hour the French regiments came again. They attacked and we again beat them back. I shot over 100 bullets at this time. I saw a mounted French officer in the field who seemed to direct the attacking columns. I took aim and was able to shoot him. Later we were able to move outside the gate and I noted that I was not far from the officer I had shot. I ran to him to take his gold watch and chain, but apparently I had not killed him, as he sat upright. I hit him  with the butt of my rifle and managed to relieve him of his gold ring. I also found a  small sack of gold coins in his saddle bag. Suddenly my comrades were yelling, “Come back, the cavalry is coming.”

 

I returned to my position and was then engaged by the farm wall. Again it was hand to hand fighting. I captured a wounded horse and took it to Major Baring who ordered me to chase it out of the farm. I then showed him my bag of gold pieces and asked him to secure it for me. He told me that no-one knew what would happen that day and that I would be best served taking care of the money myself.

 

Soon we were attacked again and my Captain ordered me to remain at the entrance of the gate. This was a long engagement and it seemed that one new column would follow another. We were soon low on ammunition and had to search the pockets of the dead. Major Baring told us that new ammunition would soon be available. At that point I was shot in the back of my head. My Captain ordered me to go to the rear, but I replied, “As long as I can stand I will remain at my post.” I soaked my handkerchief in rum and wrapped it around my head.

 

I soon heard the cry that the enemy were trying to break through at the barn door and I immediately ran to that position. We fired our rifles as fast as we could load and, as I was loading, a Frenchman grabbed my rifle. The soldier to the left of me shot him dead. Another Frenchman tried to grab my weapon and a comrade to the right of me stabbed him in the face. As I retreated to reload, bullets buzzed around my ears. One bullet ripped the padding from my shoulder and another demolished my rifle. I took the rifle from a dying sergeant and began to search the pockets of the dead for ammunition. At that point Major Baring rode up. He looked at my head and ordered me to the rear. I told him, “Not as long as my head sits on my shoulders.”

 

I then returned to the barn. The order was “defend yourselves”. A Frenchman charged at me. I drove my bayonet into his chest and unfortunately it bent and was no longer usable. I was then ordered back to the gate where the fighting was hand to hand, and I was soon surrounded and captured. They ripped the pack from my shoulders, stole one gold and two silver watches, and took my bread bag which was filled with gold pieces. My captors began to argue over the money and I punched one of them in the face. However, I and several of my companions were marched away with other prisoners. We spent the night in a stable, were given no food and were very thirsty.”

 

…………

 

“After four weeks I was given my doctor’s permission to return to my battalion and marched with a detachment of 300 men to Paris. There I met my brother who greeted me saying, “Friedrich, I thought you were dead. I found you on the battlefield and buried you.” I told him, “God knows who you buried.”

Private Friedrich Lindau at the defence of

La Haye Saint

 

by Ray Kirkpatrick © Waterloo Battlefield Tours

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