Potus Geeks Summer Reruns: Andrew Jackson and Jean Lafitte

Aug 22, 2024 02:39


Jean Lafitte was a French pirate and privateer. He operated in the Gulf of Mexico in the early 19th century and accounts of his life are the stuff of legends and mystery. It is unclear where or when he was born. Some say he was born in Basque-France and other claim it was in the French colony of Saint-Domingue (the island where present day Haiti and the Dominican Republic are located). But in the early 19th century he had established a reputation as a famous pirate. He kept a warehouse in New Orleans where he would distribute the goods smuggled by his brother Pierre. After the United States government passed the Embargo Act of 1807, the Lafittes moved their operations to an island in Barataria Bay, Louisiana.





The Lafittes had a profitable smuggling and piracy operation and they were on the government's most wanted list. In September of 1814, a United States naval force successfully invaded the Lafittes' base on Barataria Island and captured most of his fleet. Earlier, Pierre Lafitte had been arrested and jailed, while Jean operated the piracy and smuggling business. On September 3, 1814, the British ship HMS Sophie fired on a pirate ship returning to Barataria. Lafitte's ship grounded in shallow water where the larger British ship could not follow. The British raised a white flag and launched a small dinghy with several officers. Lafitte and several of his men rowed to meet them halfway. Lafitte subsequently met with the British and he was presented with a letter under the seal of King George III, offering Lafitte and his forces British citizenship and land grants in the British colonies in the Americas if they promised to assist in the naval fight against the United States. It was also a condition that they were to return any recent property that had been captured from Spanish ships, as Spain was now an ally of the British.

Lafitte decided to back the Americans. His decision was made out of self interest. He believed that he could more easily defeat the US revenue officers than he could the British navy. Lafitte also hoped to win his brother's release. Lafitte later sent a note to Governor Claiborne, offering aid to the Americans, saying:

I am the stray sheep, wishing to return to the sheepfold. If you were thoroughly acquainted with the nature of my offenses, I should appear to you much less guilty, and still worthy to discharge the duties of a good citizen.

Within two days of Lafitte's notes, Pierre "escaped" from jail. US Commodore Daniel Patterson commanded an offensive force against Lafitte and his men at Barataria. On September 13, 1814, Commodore Patterson set sail aboard the USS Carolina for Barataria. He was accompanied by six gunboats and a tender. The fleet anchored off Grande Terre and the gunboats attacked. By midmorning, 10 armed pirate ships formed a battle line in the bay. Within a short period, Lafitte's men abandoned their ships, set several on fire, and fled the area. When Patterson's men went ashore, they met no resistance. They took 80 people captive, but Lafitte escaped safely. The Americans took custody of six schooners, one felucca, and a brig, as well as 20 cannon and goods worth $500,000.

Following the custom of the times, Patterson filed a legal claim for the profits from the confiscated ships and merchandise, and he was awarded the customary share of profits from the goods that had already been sold. The ships were held in port under custody of the United States marshal.

Governor Claiborne wrote the US Attorney General, Richard Rush requesting a pardon for the Baratarians. Claiborne next wrote to General Andrew Jackson, arguing that Patterson's actions had destroyed a potential first line of defense for Louisiana. Jackson was skeptical. In his reply he wrote, "I ask you, Louisianans, can we place any confidence in the honor of men who have courted an alliance with pirates and robbers?"

Jackson arrived in New Orleans on December 1, 1814, and he was dismayed to find that the city had not created any defenses. It had approximately 1,000 unseasoned troops and two ships for its use. The city had control of the eight ships taken from Lafitte, but did not have enough sailors to man them. Lafitte's men were unwilling to serve on their former ships.



In mid-December, Jackson met with Lafitte and a deal was struck. Lafitte offered to serve in the defense of New Orleans if the US would pardon those of his men who agreed to defend the city. Jackson agreed to do so. On December 19, the state legislature passed a resolution recommending a full pardon for all of the former residents at Barataria. With Lafitte's encouragement, many of his men joined the New Orleans militia or as sailors to man the ships. Others formed three artillery companies.

On December 23, advance units of the British fleet reached the Mississippi River. Lafitte was aware of the poor state of the city's defenses. He suggested that the line of defense be extended to a nearby swamp. Jackson liked the idea and ordered it done. 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.

Commodore Patterson, who had led the raid on Barataria, now praised Lafitte's men who served on one of the US Navy ships. He assessed their skill with artillery to be better than their British counterparts. On January 21, after achieving success in battle, Jackson issued a statement praising Lafitte's troops, especially the artillery crew, He wrote, "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. 3 and 4." Jackson also praised the Lafitte brothers for having "exhibited the same courage and fidelity". He formally requested clemency for the Lafittes and the men who had served under them. The government granted them all a full pardon on February 6, 1815.

The Lafittes went on to have more adventures. They agreed to serve as spies for Spain in the Mexican War of Independence in 1815-16. But Lafitte and his men later continued a life of piracy against Spanish ships in the Gulf of Mexico, often unloading their cargo at Galveston or on one of the barrier islands near New Orleans. A congressional delegation in Louisiana began demanded that the federal government do something to halt the smuggling. More U.S. Navy ships were sent to the Gulf and in October or November 1821, Lafitte's ship was ambushed. He and his men were captured and jailed, but on February 13, 1822 he escaped.

In late April 1822, Lafitte was captured again after an act of piracy on an American ship. The American warship which captured him turned Lafitte over to the local authorities, who promptly released him because Lafitte had been bribing them with a cut of his loot. Lafitte and other pirates operating in the area began attacking merchant ships carrying legal goods to Cuba. 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. Lafitte was granted a commission and given a new ship, a 43-ton schooner named General Santander in honor to vice-president general Francisco de Paula Santander. Now Lafitte was legally authorized to take Spanish ships.

In February 1823, Lafitte was cruising off the town of Omoa, Honduras, the site of the largest Spanish fort in Central America. Lafitte attempted to take what he thought were two Spanish merchant vessels. The Spanish ships were heavily armed privateers or warships. Lafitte was wounded in the battle, and is believed to have died just after dawn on February 5. 1823. He was buried at sea in the Gulf of Honduras.

But like all legendary figures, rumors persisted that Lafitte had not died. One rumor claimed that Lafitte had rescued Napoleon from exile and both of them ended their days in Louisiana. No evidence had been reported to supports this theory. Lafitte is also rumored to have buried treasure at many locations, including Galveston and sites along coastal Louisiana.



In 2021, a book entitled Jean Lafitte Revealed, Unraveling One of America’s Longest-Running Mysteries by Ashley Oliphant and Beth Yarbrough presents the theory that Jean Laffite, did in fact successfully change his name and live out the rest of his natural life, dying 1875 at the age of 96, under the pseudonym, “Lorenzo Ferrer” in Lincoln County, North Carolina. Ferrer is buried in a marked grave at Saint Luke's Episcopal Church in Lincolnton, North Carolina. The grave is commonly referred to as locals as “The Pirate’s Grave.” Whether or not the story is true, it would make for a great movie.

andrew jackson

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