Lafitte took the words to heart, participated in the Battle of New Orleans on the side of the United States, and credited Victor as the inspiration for his actions. By 1810, their new port had become very successful; the Lafittes had a profitable smuggling operation and also started to engage in piracy. Since Governor Claiborne had captured some of his ships, some of his men, and a bunch of his money, Lafitte decided to try his luck with another American. By 1805 he was thought[by whom?] The judge ruled that Patterson should get the customary share of profits from the goods that had already been sold, but he did not settle the ownership of the ships. Jean did the water parts, leading a fleet of pirate ships to pillage and plunder merchant ships, while Pierre served as the face of the operation, selling the stolen goods out of the blacksmith shop. [100], Ramsay compares the numerous legends related to the life and death of Lafitte to those about King Arthur and Robin Hood. (Spain having become an ally of the British against the French.) During his life he acted as a soldier, sailor, diplomat, merchant, and much more demonstrating natural gifts for leadership.[14]. 1823) was a French pirate and privateer in the Gulf of Mexico in the early 19th century. Let’s hope the ceremonies include some recognition of Jean Laffite, Pierre Laffite. Although the handbills were made in Lafitte's name, Ramsay believes "it is unlikely [the handbills] originated with him". They had no shortage of recruits as the embargo put so many sailors out of work. Later, in return for a legal pardon, Lafitte and his fleet helped General Andrew Jackson defend New Orleans during the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812, as British forces sought access to the Mississippi River. On November 10, 1812, the United States District Attorney John R. Grymes charged Lafitte with "violation of the revenue law". There are as many unsubstantiated accounts of Jean Lafitte's death as there are of his birth. [63] On land and sea, the former pirate gunners earned praise as the battle continued. The captured schooner was not considered useful for piracy so, after unloading its cargo, the Lafittes returned the ship to its former captain and crew. [43] Lafitte's ship grounded in shallow water where the larger British ship could not follow. Jean Lafitte (c. 1780 – c. 1823) was a French-American pirate and privateer in the Gulf of Mexico in the early 19th century. According to his book, Lafitte was born in or near Pauillac, France, the son of Pierre Lafitte and his second wife, Marguerite Desteil. They were held in port under custody of the United States marshal. The United States government passed the Embargo Act of 1807, so the Lafittes moved their operations to an island in Barataria Bay, Louisiana. A number of Lafitte's cruisers were captured in open acts of piracy and their crews were hanged. [36] The proclamation was printed in the nationally read Niles' Weekly Register. In 1821, the schooner USS Enterprise was sent to Galveston to remove Lafitte from the Gulf. Lafitte told Claiborne of the impending danger to New Orleans. Robertson was incensed by Lafitte's operation, calling his men "brigands who infest our coast and overrun our country". This was problematic for New Orleans merchants, who had relied heavily on trade with Caribbean colonies of other nations. Governor Claiborne of Louisiana once offered a $500 reward to anyone who captured Jean Laffite; Laffitte offered a counter reward of $5,000 to anyone who captured the governor. [15] The Lafitte brothers began to look for another port from which they could smuggle goods to local merchants. He was accompanied by a Royal Marine infantry Captain, John McWilliam,[45][46] who had been given a package to deliver to Lafitte. [78], In April 1818, the United States passed a law prohibiting the import of slaves into any port in the United States. For the town named after him, see. The brothers stripped down their original ship and used its guns to outfit the new one. After securing victory, Jackson paid tribute to the Lafitte brothers' efforts, as well as those of their fellow privateers, in despatches. An extremely Robin Hood move. [5][12] He was known to adopt more aristocratic mannerisms and dress than most of his fellow privateers.[5]. Another account suggests Lafitte was killed in battle aboard a Colombian ship in 1823 while fighting against the Spanish and subsequently buried at sea. 151–2. The following day, Lafitte took command of the island and appointed his own officers. Lafitte essentially developed Galveston Island as another smuggling base. [11] By 1806, several "Captain Lafitte"s operated in New Orleans; Jean Lafitte was likely one of them. [51], On September 23, Patterson and his fleet, including the eight captured ships, began the return trip to New Orleans. Pierre was raised by extended family elsewhere in Louisiana. The History of the Jean Lafitte House As the French Quarter was laid out in 1718 upon the arrival of the city’s founder, Jean Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur Bienville, a portage—or ancient road—was needed for a quick passage from the Mississippi River to Lake Pontchartrain five miles upriver. "[26] For several months, the Lafittes would send the ships directly to New Orleans with a legal cargo and would take on outgoing provisions in the city. [48] Lafitte had copies of the letters sent to Jean Blanque, a member of the state legislature who had invested in the Barataria operation. [33], Although under indictment, in March 1813 Lafitte registered as captain of Le Brig Goelette la Diligente for a supposed journey to New York. [89] In late April 1822, Lafitte was captured again after taking his first American ship. This account of Lafitte's death is not accepted by all historians. In many ways, Jean Lafitte, the pirate king of Barataria Bay, was the Robin Hood of the bayou. It would be the proper and fitting thing to do. Laflin said he himself was a descendant of Jean Lafitte and had found the book in a trunk he had inherited. With origins steeped in mystery and legend, Jean Lafitte is the name attributed most to Gulf Coast piracy. ), privateer and smuggler who interrupted his illicit adventures to fight heroically for the United States in defense of New Orleans in the War of 1812. Law enforcement would sort of let the Lafittes slide because of their popularity, and in fact Jean and Pierre Lafitte were only arrested once in their lives, briefly in 1812, but they both soon escaped. In approximately 1784, his mother married Pedro Aubry – a New Orleans merchant – and kept Jean with her. Charles Gayarre wrote the first serious biography of Lafitte, The young Lafitte is a minor character in. Numerous novels have been inspired by his exploits. One of Lafitte's men testified that the Baratarians had never intended to fight the US but had prepared their vessels to flee. Like Barataria, Galveston was a seaward island that protected a large inland bay. Johnny Law didn't always turn a blind eye, however. [3] He and his brother Pierre alternately claimed to have been born in Bayonne, while other documents of the time place his birthplace as St. Malo or Brest. New Orleans issued six such letters, primarily to smugglers who worked with Lafitte at Barataria. He and his older brother Pierre spelled their last name Laffite, but English language documents of the time used "Lafitte". The smugglers wounded one of the officers and safely escaped with the contraband. [19], Dissatisfied with their role as brokers, in October 1812 the Lafitte brothers purchased a schooner and hired a Captain Trey Cook to sail it. Jean Lafitte Biography. But while the paper and signature of the journal may appear authentic, the Journal of Jean Lafitte is widely considered a hoax, if for no other reason than John A. Laflin was a known forger of historical documents. Jean Lafitte (born around 1776, died around 1823) is today remembered as one of the most successful pirates and privateers of the early 19th century. JeanLafitte.net records a litany of these various possibilities. Taking advantage of their absence, Lafitte took control of Galveston and appointed his own men as the new leaders of the base. [49] He sent a message to the Americans that few of his men favored helping the British, but said he needed 15 days to review their offer. Born in 1780, Jean Lafitte, along with his brother, made his fortunes through smuggling and piracy. [37] The following month, the governor offered a $500 reward for Lafitte's capture. Uninterested in exports from New Orleans, customs agents rarely checked the accuracy of the manifests. Other variations of the mystery say Lafitte buried the treasure in multiple locations along the Gulf Coast. Leon was son of Jules Jean Lafitte, born in Baltimore, Maryland on 4 April 1834, died 10 October 1924, in St. Louis, Missouri. As GoNOLA explains, there a number of locations in France where he could have been born–he and his brother said they were from Bayonne, while the possibly-forged Journal of Jean Lafitte says he was born in Bordeaux to a family of Sephardi Jews that ran to France from Spain after the Inquisition. Jerk move, Claiborne. [2] Some sources say that his father was French while his mother's family had come from Spain. [40], Claiborne appealed to the new state legislature, citing the lost revenues due to the smuggling. Due to its location in the National Park, alligator feeding is not allowed on the Jean Lafitte Swamp Tour.[107][108]. Jean Lafitte was a pirate and privateer known for his smuggling operations. [92], In June 1822, Lafitte approached the officials in the Great Colombia, whose government under general Simón Bolívar had begun commissioning former privateers as officers in their new navy. (Ramsay (1996), pp. [56] It had approximately 1,000 unseasoned troops and two ships for its use. Geography. They took 80 people captive, but Lafitte escaped safely. "However, in modern times, looking back, I think you can say he wasn't doing very much good at all, but he was a product of his time. [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]. Jean Lafitte did not have a stop light, but it had a senior center, a medical clinic, an art gallery, a boxing club, a nature trail and a visitor … The men believed Lafitte had scuttled the Pride just outside of Galveston, and with help from the Discovery Channel, they were able to confirm there is, in fact, something big in the water outside Galveston. Learn Cajun traditions from people who live them. The building was surrounded by a moat and painted red; it became known as Maison Rouge. "[97] No American newspaper published an obituary of him. The American warship which captured him turned Lafitte over to the local authorities, who promptly released him. [41] Lafitte was arrested, tried, convicted and jailed on charges of "having knowingly and wittingly aided and assisted, procured, commanded, counselled, and advised" persons to commit acts of piracy". Rumors abounded that he had changed his name after leaving Galveston and disappeared, that he was killed by his own men shortly after leaving Galveston, or that he had rescued Napoleon and that both had died in Louisiana. People can't even agree how his name is spelled: he himself spelled it "Laffite," but contemporary documents spelled it "Lafitte," which has become the standard spelling in English. In Jean Lafitte's day, silver and gold filled a pirate's treasure chest, but today's treasures are people, places, and memories. Jackson was initially hesitant to work with pirates, and many of Lafitte's men–who you'll remember were mostly disgruntled former Navy seaman laid off due to embargoes–were not exactly enthused to be working for the government. The second floor is said to play host to the ghost of a mystery woman who will whisper your name into your ear. Lafitte conducted most of his business aboard his ship, The Pride, where he also lived. The Baratarians invited the British officers to row to their island. On September 3, 1814, the British ship HMS Sophie fired on a pirate ship returning to Barataria. In November 1822, he made news in the American press after escorting an American schooner through the pirate-strewn area and providing them with extra cannonballs and food.[95]. According to this journal, Lafitte was a Sephardi Jew whose persecution at the hands of the Spanish led to his lifelong hatred of the Spanish (except, presumably, for the extended period in which he served as a spy for them). Lafitte did this, even though the British were after him at this point. 129-135 (Chicago: Field Enterprises, Inc., 1947), Mexican outpost further south along the Gulf Coast, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, Jean Lafitte National Park and Barataria Preserve, Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center, List of people pardoned or granted clemency by the president of the United States, "FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: GENERAL QUESTIONS", ODMP memorial for Customs Inspector John Stout killed 21 January 1814, "12 Owner of Jean Lafitte Swamp Tours says feeding gators is 'not necessary' as JP council considers lifting ban", https://www.advertisingweek360.com/legend-jean-lafoote/, http://advertisingiconmuseum.org/inside/c5/3237017.html, https://www.mrbreakfast.com/cereal_detail.asp?id=431, https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2012/08/disneyland-park-then-and-now-lafittes-anchor/, https://www.laweekly.com/20-things-you-may-not-know-about-disneylands-pirates-of-the-caribbean-ride/, https://medium.com/@notchristiant/history-and-a-behind-the-scenes-look-at-the-pirates-of-the-caribbean-attraction-in-disneyland-3072c75fee3b, History of the second war between the United States of America and Great Britain: declared by act of Congress, the 18th of June, 1812, and concluded by peace, the 15th of February, 1815, Jean Lafitte: Gentleman Pirate of New Orleans, "Jean LaFitte's piratical topsail schooner", History, photos and movies about Jean Lafitte, Paris Declaration Respecting Maritime Law, Jim Hawkins and the Curse of Treasure Island, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jean_Lafitte&oldid=1001846169, Recipients of American presidential pardons, Pages which use embedded infobox templates with the title parameter, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from May 2013, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from July 2018, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with multiple identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, pirate, privateer, spy, naval artillery officer.