Patrick Lindesay

Sir Patrick Lindesay, (24 February 1778 – 14 March 1839) was a Scottish officer in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars and Peninsular War but is most noted as having served as Acting Governor of New South Wales, Australia in 1831. Mount Lindesay (Queensland), Mount Lindesay (New South Wales), and Lindesay River in Australia are all named after him.

Life He was born in Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland, the son of Lt. Col. John Lindesay.

He was educated at Edinburgh University and in 1793 joined the army as an Ensign. He was thereafter gazetted as a lieutenant in the famed 78th (Highlanders) Regiment of Foot. He was promoted to captain in September 1795. He moved to the 39th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot in October 1796 and was there promoted to Major in 1807. He then saw considerable action in Spain and Portugal during the Peninsular War.

In 1811 he saw his most major action and received a medal for his actions in the Battle of Albuera.

In 1814, his obituary states, he had a "final brush" with the Americans in the final battles between these countries.

From 1824 to 1826 he served in the First Anglo-Burmese War, commanding a division of the Expeditionary Army.

Australia In November 1827, aged 49, he arrived in Sydney, Australia to succeed Colonel William Stewart (governor) in the command of the garrison at Port Jackson. He became a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council in 1827, and when the post of lieutenant-governor was abolished he took over the required duties of the post. From April 1829 he was a member of the Executive Council.

Late-life

In 1832 he was dispatched to India to command the garrisons at Bangalore. After the surrender of Mercara, he received a bounty of £10,000. He then commanded the entire British forces in southern Madras until late 1835.

He returned to Britain in 1836 and was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath and Military Knight Commander of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order. He was promoted to the rank of Major General on 10 January 1837.

He is interred in St. Michael's Churchyard in Inveresk west of the main church in the older section. His grave in 2014 was wholly obscured by two yew trees.