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The Stay in Landrecies
The day of departure came on the 10th of July 1805. The mayor
and the Feldhueter accompanied their "recruit" to the city of
Luxembourg, meeting point for the recruits.
From here on, they marched on foot toward the city of Landrecies in the
north of France, [47] at which was a "dépôt", a gathering location of
the 19th dragon-regiment. It is from Landrecies that Pierre Wagener's
first letter is post-marked and dated, and addressed to his mother via
the care of Dominique Wilhelm. Pierre Wagener, who could neither read
nor write, had his letter written by comrades of his regiment who had
mastered this art. This explains who the letters were written in
different handwritings. It is however notable that these
difficult-to-read correspondences are written in a very unsophisticated
style.[48]
On the 17th of April, Pierre Wagener writes:
Dear mother,
I have arrived here....find well. This trip took us 10 days. My dear
mother, upon our arrival, we each had to pay 27 livres into the (Maas).
So, I have begged of you to send me 36 livres, to be able to replace the
27 livres, and what is left for myself. I hope that you keep yourself
well, and grant me this request and also greet my relatives.
Live well, I am your faithful son. Pierre Wagener. [49]
Most of Pierre Wagener's letters contain demands for money. As we will
find out later, he had entrusted his money and also the sum that he
received from Frédérick Melchior to his friend Dominique Wilhelm for
safekeeping. Wilhelm was his confidant. He was a well-educated man for
his time who was fluent in French because he was schooled in Ottingen.
Some time later on, Wagener will designate Mayor Wilhelm to be the
administrator of his wealth.
A second letter, written on the 7th of July 1805 shows that
the young Tétange native was faring very badly. He doesn't turn to his
mother, but to his friend Wilhelm:
Dearest friend,
I ask you to please send me a small sum, because I am very much in
need. You do not know how bad it is here, and because of this, I am
laying in the hospital with a fever, and I hardly receive anything here.
You will refuse to believe it. We are still not clothed. We have gotten
nothing yet other than having left over 1 Sol per day. So, please send
me something as soon as possible, because you know how it is with an ill
man who would like to buy something for himself. The rest is kept in the
(Maas) by the regiment. I do know well enough that it is harmful to
demand so often, only it cannot be different. My need forces me. I greet
you a thousand times, the one that I am, Pierre Wagener.
My address: Mons. Pierre Wagener, Dragon of the 19th
regiment, 6 th company. Landrecy, North Department.
[50]
During the course of the year, more letters that include demands for
money arrive in Tétange.[51] on the 31st of
December 1805, the widow Wagener sells off her last parcels of land, a
parcel in "Langenacker", Tétange, for the price of 192F to Jean Weynand
from Tétange. Specifically expressed in this sales-contract is the share
going to Pierre Wagener.[52]
[47] Landrecies: City south from Maubeuge, close to
the Sambre river, counts more than 5000 inhabitants today. The city is
most famous for her ceramic and glass industry. The city's origins go
back to the 12th century.
[48] Note: The dotted lines in the letters
represent words, that were either unreadable or whose sense couldn't be
figured out.
[49] LAUX Archiv, Kayl.
[50] LAUX Archiv, Kayl.
[51] LAUX Archiv, Kayl.
[52] AEL, Notary Henri Motté, Mondercange,
File Nr: 44/1806
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