Thus, on August 13, 1814, Captain Nicholas Lockyer of the British ship Sophie sailed on that mission. [85] Almost half of the combined crew refused to sail as pirates; Lafitte allowed them to leave aboard his largest ship, the brig General Victoria. Although the city kept control of the eight ships taken from Lafitte, it did not have enough sailors to man them for defense. After first escaping with some crew, he and his men were captured and jailed. 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. Lafitte visited in March 1817. chagrin of the locals that helped drain the swamp, there was no trace of the [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". [16] Barataria was far from the US naval base, and ships could easily smuggle in goods without being noticed by customs officials. Jean Laffite, Laffite also spelled Lafitte, (born 1780?, Francedied 1825? However, due to a combination of the enhantments that were cast on the ship, the fanatical loyalty of her crew, the ledgentary will of Jean Lafitte, and decades of personification by powerful beings, a spirit was bornkniting together the souls of the . 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. 1417 Harborside Drive. Sale of the slaves and additional cargo generated $18,000 in profits. 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. Jacques St. Germain, The Infamous Louisiana Vampire, Jean Lafitte: Mystery of the Unfound Treasure, History of the Louisiana Snowball and Its Flavors. (The United States and the United Kingdom had prohibited the Atlantic slave trade after 1808, but Spain continued to import slaves to the Caribbean.) He could have stashed some treasure somewhere along the Eastern shore. But remember Lafittes black dogs are still around dont go a hunting unless you are prepared to suffer the consequences. that will never end. [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. [86][Note 2], Lafitte and his men continued to take Spanish ships in the Gulf of Mexico and often returned to Galveston or the barrier islands near New Orleans to unload cargo or take on supplies arranged by Pierre. 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. 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. According to historian William C. Davis, Laffite began a public relationship with his mistress in 1815, Catherine (Catiche) Villard, a free woman of color. [92] By the end of 1822, Cuba had banned all forms of sea raiding. (In English documents, his last name was often spelled Lafitte, but Laffite was the spelling used by Jean and his brother Pierre.) The most notorious New Orleans smuggler and gentleman pirate was Jean Lafitte. At its height, the colonists and privateers earned millions of dollars annually from stolen or smuggled coin and goods. [7] [99], Ramsay compares the numerous legends related to the life and death of Jean Lafitte to those about King Arthur and Robin Hood. Though much of his life has been obscured by legend and time, the story of 19th-century French pirate Jean Lafitte is nonetheless one of intrigue, crime, and heroics. 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. It is quite certain that Napoleon is buried in Paris and that Jones, who died in 1792, is buried at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He achieved notoriety through his daring exploits, but also for having "the coolest name ever.". A hurricane in September resulted in flooding of most of the island, and several people died. [5][12] He was known to adopt more aristocratic mannerisms and dress than most of his fellow privateers. Our exclusive brands & quality merchandise are created to inspire a unique & recognizable Joie de vivre~Pirate Lifestyle with worldwide appeal! Jan 25, 2007. Captain Campbell became a farmer and remained so until his death in 1856. [29], On June 18, 1812, the United States declared war on Britain. When a giant storm hit the region, the raft was washed away and destroyed. That night his remaining men reboarded the General Victoria and destroyed its masts and spars, crippling the ship, but they left the crew unharmed. 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. [44], Captain Nicholas Lockyer, the commander of the Sophie, had been ordered to contact the "Commandant at Barataria". Jean was a handsome man by all accounts, of great personal charm and became . On September 3, 1814, the British ship HMS Sophie fired on a pirate ship returning to Barataria. 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. [21] In January 1813, they took their first prize, a Spanish hermaphrodite brig loaded with 77slaves. [115] The paper and ink were analyzed and confirmed to be of mid-19th-century origin. Jean Lafitte became labeled by some as a The law left several loopholes, giving permission to any ship to capture a slave ship, regardless of the country of origin. Lafitte may have had as many as 1000 people working for him, including free men of color and runaway slaves. instead of just one? [8], Biographer William C. Davis suggests a different childhood for Lafitte. Check out our jean lafitte selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our prints shops. From there, he raided foreign ships in the Gulf of Mexico. treasure of Jean Lafitte. The corsairs aimed the artillery at the Karankawa, killing most of the men in the tribe. Jean Lafitte (c. 1780 - c. 1823) . 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. The family thinks this could be a clue as to where the actual treasure is. Annual income reached more than $2 million ($35.4million in today's terms) in stolen currency and goods. His men burned the Maison Rouge, fortress, and settlement. Lafitte escaped. Thousands of miles away, and two centuries later, from where Laffite made his name, in Lincolnton, North Carolina, people continue to visit . There are many stories about what happened to Lafitte and where he died. The American warship which captured him turned Lafitte over to the local authorities, who promptly released him. But why? [117] Most historians now believe the Lafitte journal to be a forgery. The park was named after Lafitte because of his smuggling operations in the area. Only six houses survived as habitable.[80]. You would eventually merge onto the hold of a buried ship on Tom Sawyers Island. Could it be that there were multiple burial locations Switching gears back to Louisiana, this Jean Lafitte tale quotes a former student of Mount Carmel Academy in New Orleans stating that the treasure is buried near an oak tree on the schools campus. 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. [4], Some sources speculate that Lafitte was born in the French colony of Saint-Domingue (known as Haiti since it gained independence in 1804). [102] Ramsay believes that over time, almost "every foot of Grande Isle has been spaded for pirate gold". After Jean's reported death in the mid-1820s, the widowed Catiche took up with Feliciano Ramos. One of the men was found living in east Texas where he had bought a farm. The mysterious sunken pirate ship contained about $5 million in silver and gold coins. Although General Andrew Jackson, commander of the American troops, originally described Lafitte as a hellish banditti, he finally accepted Lafittes help because of the ammunition, cannoneers, and knowledge of the area Lafi tte could supply. End of Campeche[edit] In 1821, the schooner USS Enterprise was sent to Galveston to remove Lafitte from the Gulf. In late 1815 and early 1816, the Lafitte brothers agreed to act as spies for Spain, which was embroiled in the Mexican War of Independence. Was he a pirate, a patriot, or both? Lafitte for a time lived a lavish lifestyle, complete with servants and the finest housewares and other accoutrements.[78]. Lafitte named his colony Campeche, after a Mexican outpost further south along the Gulf Coast. SS Jean Lafitte may refer to one of two Type C2-S-E1 ships built by Gulf Shipbuilding for the United States Maritime Commission: . [59] With Lafitte's encouragement, many of his men joined the New Orleans militia or as sailors to man the ships. Ramsay believes that Lafitte died of a fever in 1826 or 1827 on, Ramsay believes the documents were written by Laflin's ancestor, Matthew Laflin (18031854), who may have convinced his descendants that he was Jean Lafitte. [60], On December 23, advance units of the British fleet reached the Mississippi River. Omoa was the site of the largest Spanish fort in Central America, built to guard the Spanish silver shipments from the mines of Tegucigalpa to overseas destinations. In 1978, Congress created Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, combining Chalmette National Historical Park (established in 1938) with the Louisiana state park and authorizing a visitor center in the French Quarter. [72] Ships operating from Galveston flew the flag of Mexico, but they did not participate in the revolution. The boys were given a basic Catholic education. His knowledge of the swamps helped him to make quick getaways. 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. What books would you recommend about this pirate? The Mystery of the Final Years of Jean Lafitte . Jean Lafitte was the youngest of eight children (five boys and three girls). They will haunt you in your dreams for making a However, reports suggest that the anglers had been fishing for . [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. Throughout Lafittes