[54] According to Ramsay, Claiborne next wrote to General Andrew Jackson, "implying Patterson had destroyed a potential first line of defense for Louisiana" by his capture of Lafitte and his ships. Jean Lafitte in 1813. What if these stories are factual? Forced to leave the city, Lafitte decided to set up shop on a small island in Barataria Bay, about 40 miles south of New Orleans, to continue his smuggling ways. Title Smuggler. [4], Some sources speculate that Lafitte was born in the French colony of Saint-Domingue (known as Haiti since it gained independence in 1804). into these uncharted waters, we need to know more about who Lafitte was. 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]. In 1948, John Andrechyne Laflin approached the Missouri Historical Society with a French-language manuscript he claimed was a journal Lafitte kept from 1845 until 1850. Woodblock print of the death of Jean Lafitte from The Pirates Own Book, published in 1837. His reading and writing abilities, therefore, remain unclear. [10], Sources indicate that Lafitte was sharp and resourceful, but also handsome and friendly, enjoying drinking, gambling, and women. According to historian William C. Davis, Laffite began a public relationship with his mistress in 1815, Catherine (Catiche) Villard, a free woman of color. Yet, Lafitte's strong connections to historical figures suggests that he was the culprit of this incident. He and his elder brother, Pierre, spelled their last name Laffite, but English-language documents of the time used "Lafitte", and this is the commonly seen spelling in the United States, including for places named for him. Lafittes final resting place is unknown. The family thinks this could be a clue as to where the actual treasure is. Louisianas In 1953 several fishermen in the area landed about $625,000 of the treasure using their fishing nets. It is still In a personal note, Lafitte reminded Blanque that his brother Pierre was still in jail and deserved an early release. The mysterious sunken pirate ship contained about $5 million in silver and gold coins. The story may have begun because Pierre Lafittes mistress owned a building on St. Phillip Street across from todays Blacksmith Shop. Located on Bourbon Street, it is associated with Lafitte, who may have spent time there in his earlier years. Many from the area have taken artifacts from there, including coin. [92] By the end of 1822, Cuba had banned all forms of sea raiding. The Laffites subsequently became spies for the Spanish during the Mexican War of Independence. He was accompanied by six gunboats and a tender. Later United States President James Madison pardoned him and his men for their acts of piracy. [7] His elder brother Pierre became a privateer; he may have operated from Saint-Domingue, which frequently issued letters of marque. They will haunt you in your dreams for making a Merchants and planters came to Barataria for auctions, which Lafitte held outside New Orleans to avoid the law. Located 25 minutes from downtown New Orleans, Jean Lafitte Swamp Tours has been operating daily bayou tours since the 1980s. [82] Maison Rouge is believed to have stood at 1417 Harborside Drive near the Galveston wharf, but the foundations there have been dated to the 1870s. What: Lecture and book signing. Campbell's Legacy. Other variations of the mystery say Lafitte buried the treasure in . During this time in New Orleans, Lafitte became a very rich man, acquiring extraordinary amounts of money, ships, and weapons. Jackson agreed to do so. He had been credited with much, and accused of plenty, yet there is doubt even. Lafitte agreed to leave the island without a fight, and on May 7, 1821 departed on The Pride. residents of Texas have claimed that the treasure was buried somewhere along [52], a man who, for about two years past, has been famous for crimes that the civilized world wars against. Jean Lafitte (c.1780 c.1823) was a French pirate and privateer who operated in the Gulf of Mexico in the early 19th century. Though Lafitte's home is gone, this property across the street from the Port of Galveston contains the ruins of a later structure and a trove of ghost tales. mystery afoot! By 1806, several "Captain Lafitte"s operated in New Orleans; Jean Lafitte was likely one of them. [48] Lafitte had copies of the letters sent to Jean Blanque, a member of the state legislature who had invested in the Barataria operation. He sold those at his location The Temple. The money that he sold them for was Spanish Coin, Reales usually in 2,4,8 denominations, minted in Mexico. While his fleet took a hit, Lafitte himself managed to evade capture. In 1818, the Campeche colony suffered hardships. Jean was sent to Galveston Island, a part of Spanish Texas that served as the home base of Louis-Michel Aury, a French privateer who claimed to be a Mexican revolutionary. In the ensuing gunfight, one of the revenue officers [39] was killed and two others were wounded. After Jean's reported death in the mid-1820s, the widowed Catiche took up with Feliciano Ramos. [53], Likely inspired by Lafitte's offer to help defend Louisiana, Governor Claiborne wrote the US Attorney General, Richard Rush requesting a pardon for the Baratarians, saying that for generations, smugglers were "esteemed honest [and] sympathy for these offenders is certainly more or less felt by many of the Louisianans". The treasure already found was Spanish Silver, not Gold. Other variations of the mystery say Lafitte buried the treasure in multiple What books would you recommend about this pirate? A $27 million treasure supposedly lies buried on Pelican Island. [He] is supposed to have captured one hundred vessels of all nations, and certainly murdered the crews of all that he took, for no one has ever escaped him. By 1805, Laffite was operating a warehouse in New Orleans to help distribute the goods smuggled by his brother Pierre Lafitte. [50], The US ordered an attack on Lafitte's colony. He suggested that the line be extended to a nearby swamp, and Jackson ordered it done. After Napoleons exile to St. Helena by the English in 1815, the story says Lafitte put a double in his place and smuggled him into the United States, but that Napoleon died on the trip. Woodblock print of the death of Jean Lafitte from The Pirates Own Book, published in 1837. The city of Cartagena in present-day Colombia had rebelled against Spain and gave permission through letters of marque for privateers, including Lafittes men, to capture Spanish ships and the goods and slaves on board. The Historic New Orleans Collection, 1983.123.8. As JeanLafitte.net explains, in 1948, a man named John Andrechyne Laflin went to the Missouri Historical Society with a document called The Journal of Jean Lafitte, which he claimed was the authentic memoir and scrapbook of the famed pirate. His men burned the Maison Rouge, fortress, and settlement. Lafitte for a time lived a lavish lifestyle, complete with servants and the finest housewares and other accoutrements.[78]. 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. With the threat of imprisonment The smuggler became the lawful owner of the slaves and could resell them in New Orleans, or transport them for sale in other parts of the Deep South, which was the major slave market of the time. [84][Note 1], The remainder of the crew rejoined Lafitte, who finally acknowledged that he did not have a valid commission. . Other documents of the period place his birthplace as St. Malo or Brest. That was more of his commerce center, again where he exchanged merchandise for coin. 1776 - ca. New Orleans issued six such letters, primarily to smugglers who worked with Lafitte at Barataria. He was a reserved man and remained largely . The fleet anchored off Grande Terre and the gunboats attacked. By 1810, the island had become a booming port. There are many accounts that say Lafitte settled in A mysterious shipwreck is capturing imaginations as a team of researchers sift through the remnants of an early 19th-century vessel located 150 miles off the Galveston Island coast.. The other went north later over seas where he was killed during WW2. What did the USS Enterprise do to Jean Lafitte? Around the same time it became illegal to bring slaves from Africa into Louisiana; it later became illegal to import slaves into the rest of the United States. Legend said it was a ship Lafitte sunk or said he sunk in the Old Sabine River while being pursued by a federal gunboat. . 1512. Widely publicized, the raid was hailed by the Niles' Weekly Register as "a major conquest for the United States". [7], According to Ramsay, as a young man, Lafitte likely spent much time exploring the wetlands and bayou country south of New Orleans. Although the city kept control of the eight ships taken from Lafitte, it did not have enough sailors to man them for defense. But the gold and diamond jewl was the confirmation I needed. . Watch an alligator bask on a bayou's bank. Lafitte attempted to take what appeared to be two Spanish merchant vessels on the night of February 4. This information begs the question, though, How did Jean Lafitte have treasure in the first place, and if he did, why would he leave it behind?. Although the plans were scrapped, a bricked up entrance close to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride pays homage to this idea.[125]. The Laffite Society, which promotes historical research and education about Lafitte's life and times, meets the second Tuesday of each month. He is considered something of a historic anti-hero in Louisiana and around the Gulf of Mexico, having engaged in smuggling and piracy for a number of years yet - during the Battle of New Orleans in 1815 - helped defend the city from the . The Spanish ships were heavily armed privateers or warships and returned heavy fire. Lafittes image changed from pirate to patriot during the War of 1812. He died about Feb 5, 1823. However, reports suggest that the anglers had been fishing for . jean lafitte shipwreck found. By 1812 Lafitte was the leader of the Baratarians with headquarters on Grand Terre, a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico near Grand Isle. Only six houses survived as habitable.[80]. The boys were given a basic Catholic education. The old 1938 cross marked "Jean Lafitte, Re-exhumado, 1938" was made to mark the burial site of a bone that was found washed up on the beach where the old cemetery eroded into the sea. ), Nicolas, p. 277. states that he held a local (acting) rank of Captain of Royal Marines, R.L. A family in Baytown, Texas tell their story as they believe they found one of Lafittes sunken ships. Andrew Jackson asked Lafitte to help defend New Orleans in the Battle of 1815. After Jean Lafitte and his Baratarian crew finished fighting in New Orleans, and received their promised pardon, Lafitte could not maintain a simple private life for long, so he returned to life on the high seas. The crew would create a manifest that listed not the provisions that had been purchased, but smuggled items stored at Barataria. 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. After his three children were grown, Lafitte fell sick in his 50s. Jean's brother Pierre Lafitte died on the way to Dzilam and he was buried in Dzilam in an old cemetery, which later eroded into the sea. The Americans took custody of six schooners, one felucca, and a brig, as well as 20cannon and goods worth $500,000. [4] He notes that still other contemporary accounts claim that Lafitte was born in Ordua, Spain, or in Westchester County, New York, north of Manhattan. He vowed his intention to make indiscriminate war upon all God . Laffite is believed to have been born either in Basque-France or the French colony of Saint-Domingue in the Caribbean. Instead, Lafitte told Governor Claiborne of the planned attack and offered his help. Details: $10; galvestonhistory.org. [21] In January 1813, they took their first prize, a Spanish hermaphrodite brig loaded with 77slaves. Lafitte se rvla un alli prcieux pour les tats-Unis lors de la . Jacques St. Germain, The Infamous Louisiana Vampire, Jean Lafitte: Mystery of the Unfound Treasure, History of the Louisiana Snowball and Its Flavors. goal to once again evade U.S. seizure and to come back to it later. In 1821, the schooner USS Enterprise was sent to Galveston to remove Lafitte from the Gulf. Over the next few months, the British Navy increased patrols in the Gulf of Mexico, and by August they had established a base at Pensacola. [36] The proclamation was printed in the nationally read Niles' Weekly Register. 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. Christina died after the birth of their daughter. This account of Lafitte's death is not accepted by all historians. Most who plied that area back then kept what they found close to the vest, and today that area is all open water, though many locals can still point out to you exactly where the Temple was. [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. The ship would sail to the mouth of Bayou Lafourche, load the contraband goods, and sail "legally" back to New Orleans, with goods listed on a certified manifest. United States no choice but to pursue his arrest. 5, 7. , Official Blog of Pelican State Credit Union. Jean Lafitte, a one-time resident of Louisiana and privateer, is believed by some to have buried a large cache of treasure somewhere in the bayous of Louisiana. The building was surrounded by a moat and painted red; it became known as Maison Rouge. Stories of the buried treasure of Jean Lafitte can be found all over the state of Louisiana. [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]. [13] He was educated with his brother at a military academy on Saint Kitts. there were treasure legends, and the most common story is that Lafitte stranded a ship, a Spanish ship with gold, in Matagorda Bay in Corpus and was taking it to St. Louis on some wagon trains over roads that don . Another site near Niblett's Bluff, 40 Gums, had previously been searched. Jean Lafitte was likely born in 1782, although he was not baptized until 1786. There are many stories about what happened to Lafitte and where he died. [48] He had also been told in August that American officials were planning an assault on Barataria with forces under the command of Commodore Daniel Patterson. Many of the smugglers wanted to lynch the British men, but Lafitte intervened and placed guards outside his home to ensure their protection. That was problematic for New Orleans merchants, who had relied heavily on trade with Caribbean colonies of other nations. In approximately 1784, his mother married Pedro Aubry, a New Orleans merchant, keeping Jean with her. Jean It was also the location that US Forces attacked, causing his band to make a hasty retreat. By 1810 he was in Louisiana with his older brother Pierre. [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. [23], The brothers soon acquired a third ship, La Diligente. In the 1950s, a man claiming to be a descendant of Lafitte published The Journal of Jean Laffite. The journal was republished in the 1990s as The Memoirs of Jean Laffite. A major theme in the memoir/journal is Lafittes change of heart from slave trader to anti-slavery activist. The fortune is said to have been stolen from the Spanish by Jean Lafitte. My grandfather never got to look for the treasure s. Ive heard he would sometimes slip into Mobile Bay. The most notorious New Orleans smuggler and gentleman pirate was Jean Lafitte. The Historic New Orleans Collection, 1983.123.8. If they refused the offer, the letters informed Lafitte that the British had orders to capture Barataria to put an end to their smuggling. You'll need to arrive by 5:30pm and bring your ID plus there is a $3.00 USD boarding fee. [60] Lafitte realized that the American line of defense was so short as to potentially allow the British to encircle the American troops. He refused to allow anyone else to see the original documents until 1969, when he sold them to a professional document dealer. The Laffites moved their operations to an island in Barataria Bay, Louisiana. Little is known of Laffite's early life, but by 1809 he and his brother Pierre apparently had established in New Orleans a blacksmith shop that reportedly served as . Jean Lafitte (c. 1780 - c. 1823) was a French pirate and privateer who operated in the Gulf of Mexico in the early 19th century. Britain maintained a powerful navy, but the United States had little naval power. [41] He 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". In September 1814, British military officials sought Lafittes help in their campaign to attack the U.S. from the Gulf of Mexico. LA When Patterson's men went ashore, they met no resistance. Within two days of his offer, handbills were posted all over New Orleans offering a similar award for the arrest of the governor. even tales that the treasure was not intentionally buried. Much to the A number of details about Jean Lafitte's early life remain obscure and often sources contradict each other. On January 21, Jackson issued a statement praising his troops, especially the cannoneers and "Captains Dominique and Beluche, lately commanding privateers of Barataria, with part of their former crews and many brave citizens of New Orleans, were stationed at Nos. and the fear of being captured, Lafitte allegedly buried his treasure with the Galveston after his adventures in Louisiana. [7] Lafitte likely helped his brother to sell or trade the captured merchandise. Britain and the United States declared war in June 1812, but until 1814, most of the fighting took place on the east coast or northern border of the United States. History suggests there is a possibility that hidden treasuresgold coins, doubloons, precious jewelryare somewhere beneath the surface just waiting to be found! The benefits of Jean Lafitte agreement to the British were numerous and well calculated. He heads off to a plantation (as a legend says that . The Pride. He could have stashed some treasure somewhere along the Eastern shore. Smugglers would purchase the slaves for a discounted price, march them to Louisiana, and turn them in to customs officials. Long-lost pirate ship may lie in Texas lake / Historical treasure could be wreck of Jean Lafitte. #1. "[55], When General Andrew Jackson arrived in New Orleans on December 1, 1814, he discovered the city had not created any defenses. Jean Lafitte (1780-1823) was a legendary French privateer and pirate who resided in the Gulf of Mexico throughout the early 19th century and was widely believed to have been born in either the French colony of Saint-Domingue or in Basque-France. By clicking "Accept," you agree to the use of cookies on Pelican State of Mind. War & Affiliation War of 1812 / American. According to Ramsay, Lafitte, his elder brother Pierre, and his widowed mother migrated from Saint-Domingue to New Orleans in the 1780s. [32] Because the US Navy did not have enough ships to act against the Baratarian smugglers, the government turned to the courts. Jean Lafitte's ship was named "The General Jackson". It also mentions reports of larger sums of the treasure being buried in the appropriately-named small town of Lafitte, Louisiana. Click the image below to read our free eBook "The Big Book of Credit Union MythsBUSTED! [33], Although under indictment, in March 1813 Lafitte registered as captain of Le Brig Goelette la Diligente for a supposed journey to New York. and its inlets. Very little is known about Laffite, and speculation about his life and death continues among historians. In 1807 the United States outlawed trade with Great Britain and France because of the Napoleonic Wars in Europe. In the Journal de Jean Lafitte, the authenticity of which is contested, Lafitte claims to have been born in Bordeaux, France, in 1780 to Sephardic Jewish parents. instead of just one? [40], Claiborne appealed to the new state legislature, citing the lost revenues due to the smuggling. [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. Lafitte was associated with the three original sites of the park: he roamed the streets of New Orleans French Quarter, navigated the swamps of the Barataria Preserve, and helped the Americans win the Battle of New Orleans at Chalmette Battlefield. Others formed three artillery companies. The United States government passed the Embargo Act of 1807 as tensions built with the United Kingdom by prohibiting trade.
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