I'm proud of them for digging into it," Tony Hix said. Experts with . [99], Davis writes that Lafitte's death prevented his becoming obsolete; by 1825 piracy had been essentially eradicated in the Gulf of Mexico, and "the new world of the Gulf simply had no room for [his] kind. Why the pirate Jean Lafitte was known as The Terror of the Gulf of His reading and writing abilities, therefore, remain unclear. Discover New Orleans' rich cultural mix. The smugglers wounded one of the officers and safely escaped with the contraband. Although the handbills were made in Lafitte's name, Ramsay believes "it is unlikely [the handbills] originated with him". But the gold and diamond jewl was the confirmation I needed. "Very few shipwrecks have been found that still have the stove intact," Irion said. 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. Baratarias swamps and bayous stretched south of New Orleans to the Gulf of Mexico. There is even an event in La Porte, Texas centered around the treasure called the Annual Search for Lafittes Gold.. Suzanne Johnson features a living Lafitte in her urban fantasy series, Jean Laffite is a character in the historical fiction novel Ashes & Ecstasy by Catherine Hart, Published March 1st 2000 by Leisure Books (first published November 1st 1985), In the 1960s and 70s a barefoot cartoon pirate named, Lafitte: the pirate of the Gulf a book from 1836, This page was last edited on 4 March 2023, at 13:45. Check out our jean lafitte selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our prints shops. From Pirates to shipwrecks along its coastline to its history of explorers it's no wonder that Florida has lost treasure to be found. [95], Lafitte continued to patrol the shipping lanes around Cuba. To this day, According to HendricksLake.com, created by author and independent researcher Gary L. Pinkerton, this is where six wagons of silver stolen by Jean Lafitte from a ship called the Santa Rosa were allegedly washed up. unclear why Lafitte had to bury his treasure or even where he was last seen. The Untold Truth Of Jean Lafitte, The Pirate Of New Orleans - Grunge.com (He was actually more of a land based businessman than a privateer or pirate at sea.) So next time you're walking past the . In the summer of 1814, Pierre was arrested and jailed in New Orleans, but he escaped from jail under mysterious circumstances in September. . Some historians recount that Lafitte went back to a life of crime, leaving the The fleet anchored off Grande Terre and the gunboats attacked. 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. His game was spread far and wide and there were those who feared and hated him. By 1805 he is believed to have been running a warehouse in New Orleans and possibly a store on Royal Street. [38] Officials tried to break up this auction by force. By midmorning, 10 armed pirate ships formed a battle line in the bay. Found bones of mamouth and Indian tools. Catiche died July 2, 1858, around the age of 65. the Texas Gulf Coast. Back in 1915, a city worker in New Orleans found a chest that was filled with over 1,500 . In 1821, the schooner USS Enterprise was sent to Galveston to remove Lafitte from the Gulf. Although not part of the original proposal from Percy, Lockyer added an extra $30,000 if Lafitte would not only assist in the battle against New Orleans but also against Mobile. Most of these battles took place at or near Chalmette Plantation, now Chalmette Battlefield and part of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. In September 1814, British military officials sought Lafittes help in their campaign to attack the U.S. from the Gulf of Mexico. In his disputed memoir work, Journal de Jean Lafitte, Lafitte claims to have been born in Bordeaux, France, in 1780, the child of Sephardic Jewish parents whose converso grandmother and mother . [99], Ramsay compares the numerous legends related to the life and death of Jean Lafitte to those about King Arthur and Robin Hood. They married and had two sons together, Jules Jean and Glenn Henri. [22] The Lafittes gained a reputation for treating captive crew members well and often returned captured ships to their original crew. Jean Lafitte In her children's story, Victor and the Pirate: A Story of New Orleans During the War of 1812 (1947), Ruby Lorraine Radford features a fictional child who encourages Lafitte to defend New Orleans. . They feared that Lafitte and his men might side with the British. he was in his early twenties. The Pride | Baghdad on the Bayou | Obsidian Portal Jean lists his age as 32 and his birthplace as . 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. The mysterious sunken pirate ship contained about $5 million in silver and gold coins. To the north of Tatum, in the middle of the forest, lies Lake Hendrix. 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. this mystery still has historians, researchers, and treasure hunters alike Pierre Lafitte had another son, his namesake Pierre, born from his first marriage to Marie LaGrange, who died in childbirth. consisted of the currency he would receive in exchange for his foreign goods as [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". [4], Some sources speculate that Lafitte was born in the French colony of Saint-Domingue (known as Haiti since it gained independence in 1804). [40], Claiborne appealed to the new state legislature, citing the lost revenues due to the smuggling. instead of just one? [56] It had approximately 1,000 unseasoned troops and two ships for its use. [84][Note 1], The remainder of the crew rejoined Lafitte, who finally acknowledged that he did not have a valid commission. States officials granted him legal authority to pirate and capture British The most notorious New Orleans smuggler and gentleman pirate was Jean Lafitte. The name Jean Lafitte is almost legendary around the upper areas of the Texas coastline. Lafitte se rvla un alli prcieux pour les tats-Unis lors de la . The business was so profitable because Lafitte was selling smuggled, foreign goods to the people of New Orleans. Claiborne took a leave of absence in September 1810, leaving Thomas B. Robertson as acting governor. Dissatisfied with their role as brokers, in October 1812 the Lafitte brothers purchased a schooner and hired Captain Trey Cook to sail it. [36], Lafitte's continued flouting of the laws angered Governor Claiborne, who, on March 15, issued a proclamation against the Baratarian "banditti who act in contravention of the laws of the United States to the evident prejudice of the revenue of the federal government". The Historic New Orleans Collection, 1983.123.8. The Indians in the Mandeville area helped him escape to the Pearl River. below! Pierre was to inform about the situation in New Orleans. On this occasion Lafitte's ship had been in dire danger of attack as he prepared to enter the Calcasieu Pass, for he found that the New Orleans revenue cutter "Lynx" was engaged in antislaving patrols between him and the mouth of . Lafitte agreed to leave the island without a fight, and on May 7, 1821, departed on The Pride. [23], The brothers soon acquired a third ship, La Diligente. In 1953 several fishermen in the area landed about $625,000 of the treasure using their fishing nets. Its off 435 about 12 miles from where he fled imprisonment to the Pearl River. times as a smuggler and privateer, he became very wealthy. They had 3 children together: Jean Antoine Lafitte, Lucien Jean Lafitte, and Denise Jeanette Lafitte. Although the plans were scrapped, a bricked up entrance close to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride pays homage to this idea.[125]. And whether it's a pirate's ship or not, they hope it's a clue to their ultimate treasure. Jean Lafitte (ca. Within two days of his offer, handbills were posted all over New Orleans offering a similar award for the arrest of the governor. War & Affiliation War of 1812 / American. His knowledge of the swamps helped him to make quick getaways. The man also owned documents claiming Lafi tte lived until the 1850s and was buried in Alton, Illinois. [38], Given the success of his auctions at the Temple, in January 1814 Lafitte set up a similar auction at a site just outside New Orleans. Many from the area have taken artifacts from there, including coin. When he attacked some United States ships, the government sent in troops to capture him. At its height, the colonists and privateers earned millions of dollars annually from stolen or smuggled coin and goods. I always wondered why the searchers were only local, and that an organized big search never happened but it never did. They took 80 people captive, but Lafitte escaped safely. Most of Jean Lafitte's life remains shrouded in mystery, including his name. He refused to allow anyone else to see the original documents until 1969, when he sold them to a professional document dealer. They had two children together. There are many stories about what happened to Lafitte and where he died. Modern Day Depiction of the Baratarian Pirate and Brother of Jean Lafitte . mystery afoot! Jean Lafitte: Mystery of the Unfound Treasure - Pelican State of Mind 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. Yet, Lafitte's strong connections to historical figures suggests that he was the culprit of this incident. By 1806, several "Captain Lafitte"s operated in New Orleans; Jean Lafitte was likely one of them. [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. (Ramsay (1996), pp. 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. They might have been businessmen in New Orleans or independent privateers before becoming associated with the smugglers of Barataria. and brother in the early 1800s. He was chased all over the Gulf of Mexico by the U.S. Navy, all his ships burned except for his flagship, The Pride. In April 1818, the United States passed a law prohibiting the import of slaves into any port in the United States. On the Trail of East Texas Treasures - Hinterland Gazette His maternal grandfather had been executed by the Inquisition for "Judaizing". [15] The Lafitte brothers began to look for another port from which they could smuggle goods to local merchants. The Treasure Map of Jean Lafitte - Legends of the Hidden Temple Wiki The crew would create a manifest that listed not the provisions that had been purchased, but smuggled items stored at Barataria. "[100] Given his legendary reputation, there was much speculation about whether, or how, Lafitte had died. It also mentions reports of larger sums of the treasure being buried in the appropriately-named small town of Lafitte, Louisiana. It destroyed four ships and most buildings. What books would you recommend about this pirate? Within a short period, Lafitte's men abandoned their ships, set several on fire, and fled the area. [44], Captain Nicholas Lockyer, the commander of the Sophie, had been ordered to contact the "Commandant at Barataria". Believing that the Americans would eventually prevail in the war against Britain, Lafitte thought he could more easily defeat the US revenue officers than he could the British Navy. Jean Lafitte was a French pirate and privateer who operated from New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 . Lafittes image changed from pirate to patriot during the War of 1812. Louisiana is not exclusive to rumors of the treasures whereabouts too, as Instead, Lafitte told Governor Claiborne of the planned attack and offered his help. Guides educate the public on wildlife, Cajun culture, and life on the bayou. Lost Gold of Jean Lafitte on Expedition Unknown - Monsters and Critics Another account says Lafitte married Christina Levine at the age of seventeen. A pirate gets his due - The Current The Mystery of the Final Years of Jean Lafitte . The Treasure of Jean Lafitte - National Park Service [5], Lafitte's native language was clearly French, though the specific dialect is a matter of some debate. 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]. The United States government passed the Embargo Act of 1807 as tensions built with the United Kingdom by prohibiting trade. She placed Pierre to be raised by extended family elsewhere in Louisiana. I always heard that an area Boat Company Owner started his business with a 5 gallon bucket of silver taken from that area. What did the USS Enterprise do to Jean Lafitte? He was born in Port-au-Prince on the Caribbean island now known as Haiti, where his father was a tanner who made a comfortable enough living to educate his sons well. Lafitte always insisted that if he committed any crime, it was smuggling, and he blamed American laws for forcing him into illegal activities. Woodblock print of the death of Jean Lafitte from The Pirates Own Book, published in 1837. LA They had his only known son, Jean Pierre Lafitte (d. 1832). the naval operations and common routes of port ships in the Mississippi River [20] As the schooner did not have an official commission from a national government, its captain was considered a pirate operating illegally. Jean Lafitte- Pirates, Catacombs, and a Legend - Just Disney History suggests there is a possibility that hidden treasuresgold coins, doubloons, precious jewelryare somewhere beneath the surface just waiting to be found! Due to escalating violence from the Haitian Revolution, in early 1803 Pierre boarded a refugee ship for New Orleans.Davis (2005), pp. knowledge (or educated guess) of Lafitte being the best privateer around, United There are Date of Birth - Death c. 1780-unknown. 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. [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. 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]. 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 . In a personal note, Lafitte reminded Blanque that his brother Pierre was still in jail and deserved an early release. games, shows, and moviesbut what if they werent made up just for the sake of 5 , Mexican outpost further south along the Gulf Coast, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and 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", "Jean Laffite as a Father | Historia Obscura", "The Legend of Jean LaFoote Advertising Week 360 AW360", "Cinnamon Crunch (Cap'n Crunch) Cereal | MrBreakfast.com", "Then and Now: Lafitte's Anchor at Disneyland Park", "20 Things You May Not Know About Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean Ride", "History and a Behind the Scenes Look at the Pirates of the Caribbean Attraction in Disneyland", "Why is the Name Jean Lafitte Everywhere at Disneyland", 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=1142807831, Recipients of American presidential pardons, Pages using embedded infobox templates with the title parameter, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from July 2018, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, pirate, privateer, spy, naval artillery officer, slave trader.