Jean He said his ships would sail as pirates. [10], Sources indicate that Lafitte was sharp and resourceful, but also handsome and friendly, enjoying drinking, gambling, and women. William Bartlett explored a three-hundred-year-old shipwreck. What books would you recommend about this pirate? Lafitte and several of his men rowed to meet them halfway. Jean Lafitte's fabeled ship, The Pride, sunk well over a hundred years ago. They submitted booty from captured British ships to the American authorities at New Orleans, and booty from all other ships was often channeled for sale on the markets through Lafitte's operation. even tales that the treasure was not intentionally buried. "It started for us with this family story," Cody Hix said. wrong move on Lafittes mason rouge. Jean Lafitte spent most of his time in Barataria managing the daily hands-on business of outfitting privateers and arranging the smuggling of stolen goods. By 1805, Laffite was operating a warehouse in New Orleans to help distribute the goods smuggled by his brother Pierre Lafitte. It was cloudy with low visibility. Lafitte agreed to leave the island without a fight, and on May 7, 1821, departed on The Pride. Very little is known about Laffite, and speculation about his life and death continues among historians. [82] Lafitte reportedly took immense amounts of treasure with him, and was accompanied by his mulatta mistress[who?] Lafitte eventually returned to smuggling at Galveston Island in Spanish Texas until he was forced out by the U.S. Navy in 1820. [24] They outfitted it with 12 fourteen-pounder cannons. Check out our jean lafitte selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our prints shops. Jackson agreed to do so. Josh Gates investigates the legends swirling around the storied life and death of French pirate Jean Lafitte who is reputed to have buried treasure at sites in coastal Louisiana. Jean Lafitte, sometimes spelled Laffite, was born in approximately 1780 in either France or Saint Domingue (modern day Haiti) and according historian H.W . that will never end. He vowed his intention to make indiscriminate war upon all God . Louisianas One of the pirate's captains had attacked an American merchant ship. Enslaved Africans there gained their independence from France in 1804 and renamed this territory as Haiti. [75] Lafitte interviewed all newcomers and required them to take an oath of loyalty to him. Radford, Victor and the Pirate: A Story of New Orleans During the War of 1812, Childcraft (Vol. Pierre Lafitte had another son, his namesake Pierre, born from his first marriage to Marie LaGrange, who died in childbirth. Jean Lafitte was a Franco-American privateer captain and pirate of the Caribbean sea who operated off of Baratia Bay, Louisiana in the early 19th century. scrambling to find answers. [19] When Claiborne returned to office, he was relatively quiet on the subject. Lafitte se rvla un alli prcieux pour les tats-Unis lors de la . In 1818, the Campeche colony suffered hardships. [33], Although under indictment, in March 1813 Lafitte registered as captain of Le Brig Goelette la Diligente for a supposed journey to New York. When a giant storm hit the region, the raft was washed away and destroyed. treasure to speak of. By 1805 he is believed to have been running a warehouse in New Orleans and possibly a store on Royal Street. In November 1822, he made news in the American press after escorting an American schooner through the pirate-infested area and providing them with extra cannon balls and food.[96]. There's Lafitte's Treasure Casino right off the Grand Coteau exit on I-49; Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve Acadian-Cultural Center and the Lafitte Oaks on Jefferson Island, where the pirate is said to have buried some of his treasure. Only six houses survived as habitable.[80]. [61] The British began advancing upon the American lines on December 28, but were repulsed by an artillery crew manned by two of Lafitte's former lieutenants, Renato Beluche and Dominique Youx. Lafitte named his colony Campeche, after a Mexican outpost further south along the Gulf Coast. [99], Ramsay compares the numerous legends related to the life and death of Jean Lafitte to those about King Arthur and Robin Hood. A family in Baytown, Texas tell their story as they believe they found one of Lafittes sunken ships. In the early 1800s, Lafitte makes a fortune in treasure by raiding ships in the Gulf of Mexico . Constructed in the 1720s, the structure stands today as possibly the oldest building in the United States housing a bar (Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar).[105][106]. Lafitte was later treasure of Jean Lafitte. [15] The Lafitte brothers began to look for another port from which they could smuggle goods to local merchants. Do you have By 1810, the island had become a booming port. THE LEGACY OF JEAN LAFITTE IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA By W. T. Block Reprinted from TRUE WEST, Dec., 1979, p. 26ff; . pardoned by General Andrew Jackson in praise of his efforts and accomplishments Jean Lafitte was a pirate and privateer known for his smuggling operations. In exchange, the king asked for Lafitte and his forces to promise to assist in the naval fight against the United States and to return any recent property that had been captured from Spanish ships. The crew would create a manifest that listed not the provisions that had been purchased, but smuggled items stored at Barataria. A statue dedicated to the pirate Jean Lafitte can be found next to the water by the fishing boats In February 1823, the infamous pirate Jean Lafitte, severely wounded from an encounter with Spanish warships, sailed his schooner General Santander westward from the coast of Cuba into oblivion. The park was given the mission of preserving the natural and cultural resources of Louisianas Mississippi River delta region. Most of these battles took place at or near Chalmette Plantation, now Chalmette Battlefield and part of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. [30] The US built warships to operate on the Great Lakes but in other areas supplemented its navy by offering letters of marque to privately-owned armed vessels. . His men tore down the existing houses and built 200 new, sturdier structures. Lafitte became very familiar with, and eventually mastered, an illegal smuggling profession, which translated into an extremely lucrative career for him. Jean Lafitte was a French pirate and privateer who operated in the Gulf of Mexico in the early 19th century. In April 1818, the United States passed a law prohibiting the import of slaves into any port in the United States. [101] Lafitte is rumored to have buried treasure at many locations, including Galveston and sites along coastal Louisiana, such as Contraband Bayou in Lake Charles. Lafitte always insisted that if he committed any crime, it was smuggling, and he blamed American laws for forcing him into illegal activities. The Mystery of the Final Years of Jean Lafitte . Others formed three artillery companies. [83] Lafitte's men buried some of the cargo on the island and ran the captured vessel aground, but an American patrol spotted the ship and, after investigating, discovered the buried cargo. He and his older brother Pierre spelled their last name Laffite, but English language documents of the time used "Lafitte". [4][5] In the late 18th century, adult children of the French planters in Saint-Domingue often resettled along the Mississippi River in La Louisiane, especially in its largest city of New Orleans. [67] By early 1817, other revolutionaries had begun to congregate at Galveston, hoping to make it their base to wrest Mexico from Spanish control. [22] The Lafittes gained a reputation for treating captive crew members well and often returned captured ships to their original crew. . Families with the surname Lafitte have been found in Louisiana documents dating as early as 1765. His knowledge of the swamps helped him to make quick getaways. Campbell's Legacy. [101] In 1909, a man was given a six-year prison sentence for fraud after swindling thousands of dollars from people, by claiming that he knew where the Lafitte treasure was buried and taking their money for the promise to find it.[103]. [20] As the schooner did not have an official commission from a national government, its captain was considered a pirate operating illegally. the naval operations and common routes of port ships in the Mississippi River They sailed three ships, which Davis described as likely "one of the largest privately owned corsair fleets operating on the coast, and the most versatile. "[26] For several months, the Lafittes would send the ships directly to New Orleans with legal cargo and would take on outgoing provisions in the city. Some historians recount that Lafitte went back to a life of crime, leaving the 2. This story was told to me several years ago by a man in his 80 s Back in 1940 or 41 two men hired to clean up around what is said to be Lafittes red house disapeared after a few days. The benefits of Jean Lafitte agreement to the British were numerous and well calculated. Jean Laffite, Laffite also spelled Lafitte, (born 1780?, Francedied 1825? To the north of Tatum, in the middle of the forest, lies Lake Hendrix. into these uncharted waters, we need to know more about who Lafitte was. Merchants and planters came to Barataria for auctions, which Lafitte held outside New Orleans to avoid the law. Jean Lafitte: History & Mystery - National Park Service With his business carrying on and continuing to grow, so did his wealth. This article is about the privateer. The Mystery of the Final Years of Jean Lafitte Lafitte's Treasure Links According to one account, published in 1885, The Historical Guide to New Orleans, Jean Lafitte died of sickness on the island of Mugeres, off the Yucatan, in 1826. During his life he acted as a soldier, sailor, diplomat, merchant, and much more, demonstrating natural gifts for leadership.[14]. [79] It was being developed for cotton culture, as invention of the cotton gin had made short-staple cotton profitable. Searching for Jean Lafitte's Gold in the Sabine River "And now you Jean Lafitte, a famous pirate, buried his treasures along the coasts of Florida. . From there, he raided foreign ships in the Gulf of Mexico. [83] Two weeks after setting sail, they captured a Spanish ship, which they sent to Galveston, hoping the Longs would smuggle the goods to New Orleans. The Jean Lafitte Swamp Tour, held in the eponymous Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, is also named after the pirate/privateer. [41] The legislature appointed a committee to study the matter but, as most of their constituents benefitted by the smuggling, they never authorized the militia.
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