[81]. The Galveston Legend of the Infamous Pirate Jean Lafitte The expert cannon fire of Jacksons troops, including Lafi ttes Baratarians, contributed to the American victories during the New Orleans campaign that culminated with the Battle of New Orleans on January 8,1815. Jean Lafitte was the youngest of eight children (five boys and three girls). By 1806, several "Captain Lafitte"s operated in New Orleans; [] 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. Mysterious shipwreck off Galveston is full of surprises: A great Later, in return for a legal pardon, Laffite and his fleet helped General Andrew Jackson during the Battle of New Orleans to defend the city during the War of 1812. The park was named after Lafitte because of his smuggling operations in the area. most well-known buried treasure mystery still to this day is the unfound Families with the surname Lafitte have been found in Louisiana documents from 1765. The following day, Lafitte took command of the island and appointed his own officers. By 1805, Laffite was operating a warehouse in New Orleans to help distribute the goods smuggled by his brother Pierre Lafitte. Why the pirate Jean Lafitte was known as The Terror of the Gulf of Long-lost pirate ship may lie in Texas lake / Historical - SFGATE Jean Pierre, her son with Jean Lafitte, died at 17 during a cholera epidemic in New Orleans in October 1832. I have no doubt that the Historians will decry what Ive said here, and Im cool with that, I know what I saw and found, and I know what others saw and found. His life and death remain as mysterious as the swamps and bayous of Barataria. [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. [38] Officials tried to break up this auction by force. [29], On June 18, 1812, the United States declared war on Britain. Numerous novels and stories refer to Lafitte's exploits. . Located 25 minutes from downtown New Orleans, Jean Lafitte Swamp Tours has been operating daily bayou tours since the 1980s. Jean LaFitte - Legendary gulf pirate, Is some of his gold still buried Other variations of the mystery say Lafitte buried the treasure in multiple Long-lost pirate ship may lie in Texas lake / Historical treasure could be wreck of Jean Lafitte. He vowed his intention to make indiscriminate war upon all God . Yet, Lafitte's strong connections to historical figures suggests that he was the culprit of this incident. [88] In October or November 1821, Lafitte's ship was ambushed as he attempted to ransom a recent prize. Jean Lafitte, a famous pirate, buried his treasures along the coasts of Florida. The silver that Lafitte accumulated from selling captured slaves, cotton, and other goods was stored in wooden kegs or casks. On the Trail of East Texas Treasures - Hinterland Gazette [25] Dorada captured a fourth ship, a schooner they renamed Petit Milan. Widely publicized, the raid was hailed by the Niles' Weekly Register as "a major conquest for the United States". well as the fortunes left on the merchant ships that he captured. Robertson was incensed by Lafitte's operation, calling his men "brigands who infest our coast and overrun our country". [116] Many researchers noticed a similarity between John Laflin's handwriting and the writing in the journal. "[64] Jackson named Jean and Pierre Lafitte for having "exhibited the same courage and fidelity". [44], McWilliam brought two letters in his packet for Lafitte: one, under the seal of King George III, offered Lafitte and his forces British citizenship and land grants in the British colonies in the Americas (by then, these consisted of islands in the Caribbean and territory in Upper and Lower Canada). Let us know in the comments times as a smuggler and privateer, he became very wealthy. But why? Jacques St. Germain, The Infamous Louisiana Vampire, Jean Lafitte: Mystery of the Unfound Treasure, History of the Louisiana Snowball and Its Flavors. [38] Following the reward offer, Lafitte wrote Claiborne a note denying the charges of piracy. Many of the smugglers wanted to lynch the British men, but Lafitte intervened and placed guards outside his home to ensure their protection. Lafitte may have had as many as 1000 people working for him, including free men of color and runaway slaves. He wrote Jean Laffitte: Gentleman Rover based on the journal. [22] The Lafittes gained a reputation for treating captive crew members well and often returned captured ships to their original crew. ), Nicolas, p. 277. states that he held a local (acting) rank of Captain of Royal Marines, R.L. [50], Lafitte committed himself and his men for any defensive measures needed by New Orleans. Although the handbills were made in Lafitte's name, Ramsay believes "it is unlikely [the handbills] originated with him". . In the 1938 and 1958 films The Buccaneer, Lafitte claims he never attacked an American ship. 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]. [31], As the smuggling operations reduced the amount of revenue collected by customs offices, American authorities were determined to halt business at Barataria. [92] By the end of 1822, Cuba had banned all forms of sea raiding. years later! Louisiana is not exclusive to rumors of the treasures whereabouts too, as [21] In January 1813, they took their first prize, a Spanish hermaphrodite brig loaded with 77slaves. Jean Lafitte's ship was named "The General Jackson". In 1821, the schooner USSEnterprise was sent to Galveston to remove Lafitte from the Gulf. Retired Avenger, current NFL free agent. His knowledge of the swamps helped him to make quick getaways. Catiche died July 2, 1858, around the age of 65. I grew up back there, in those waterways, in that area and found many interesting things. [116], In 1980, the manuscript was donated to the Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center in Texas. . Walk in the footsteps of the men who fought at 1815's Battle of New Orleans. Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop is named after him. [59] With Lafitte's encouragement, many of his men joined the New Orleans militia or as sailors to man the ships. They will haunt you in your dreams for making a Lafitte's ship grounded in shallow water where the larger British . Jean Lafitte, Gulf terror and Christmas pirate Jean Lafitte was a Privateer Captain in the early 19th century. He was buried at sea in the Gulf of Honduras. Jean Henri Laffite's father, Jean Louis Laffite, was a ship captain who died on August 1, 1782, aboard the privateer ship "EL POSTILION" during a hurricane in route . The British raised a white flag and launched a small dinghy with several officers. Most of these battles took place at or near Chalmette Plantation, now Chalmette Battlefield and part of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. He was said to use it as a base for arranging the transfer of smuggled goods. Jackson agreed to do so. Is his last name spelled Lafi tte or Laffi te? Researchers say the vessels sit in 25 feet water depth at the north of Big Bradford Island. 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. The second item was a personal note to Lafitte from McWilliam's superior, Lieutenant Colonel Edward Nicolls, urging him to accept the offer.[47]. Book Claims Sword Proves Pirate Jean Lafitte Faked Death and Lived in even tales that the treasure was not intentionally buried. There are many stories about what happened to Lafitte and where he died. Many of the city's merchants were unhappy with this auction, because it allowed their customers to buy goods directly from Lafitte at a lower price than the merchants could charge in the city. floor after a shipwreck. In 1966, Louisiana authorized a state park to be established at the present site of the Barataria Preserve. but what is clear is that he settled in the New Orleans area with his mother Jean Lafitte : biography 1780 - 1826 Davis places Lafitte's brother Pierre in Saint-Domingue in the late 1790s and the early 19th century. A smuggler of epic proportions, Jean Lafitte had an army of privateers with as many as 1,000 men ultimately making him an invaluable asset for America in the War of 1812. Jean Lafitte (also spelt Laffite, c. 1780 to c. 1820 CE) was a Franco-American leader of pirates and privateers who captured merchant vessels of various states in the Gulf of Mexico from 1810 to 1820. Probably inside the hidden stairs that went to the first floor of his mason rouge. Jean Lafitte was likely born in 1782, although he was not baptized until 1786. He was a reserved man and remained largely . this mystery still has historians, researchers, and treasure hunters alike They had his only known son, Jean Pierre Lafitte (d. 1832). And where? games, shows, and moviesbut what if they werent made up just for the sake of [82] Lafitte reportedly took immense amounts of treasure with him, and was accompanied by his mulatta mistress[who?] April 23, 2022. in south Louisianas bayous for so long, Lafitte had also become an expert with Lafitte possibly took an assumed name, John Lafflin, and may have given that surname to his younger two sons. During his life he acted as a soldier, sailor, diplomat, merchant, and much more, demonstrating natural gifts for leadership.[14]. End of Campeche[edit] In 1821, the schooner USS Enterprise was sent to Galveston to remove Lafitte from the Gulf. In Jean Lafitte's day, silver and gold filled a pirate's treasure chest, but today's treasures are people, places, and memories. 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. [117] Laflin had been previously accused of forging letters purportedly from Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Jackson, and Davy Crockett. In 1812, the United States and the United Kingdom went to war. [77], At its peak the colony had more than two thousand inhabitants and 120 separate structures. [20] As the schooner did not have an official commission from a national government, its captain was considered a pirate operating illegally. 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. They had two children together. 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. (Davis (2005), p. 436). 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. "Ladies and gentlemen, meet Jean Lafitte. In the ensuing gunfight, one of the revenue officers [39] was killed and two others were wounded. Located on Bourbon Street, it is associated with Lafitte, who may have spent time there in his earlier years. "Finding out who Lafitte really was," Cody Hix said. 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. It was cloudy with low visibility. 1823) was a French pirate and privateer in the Gulf of Mexico in the early 19th century. Mention the name "Jean Lafitte" to people of a certain age and they will immediately think of Cap'n Crunch cereal and its mascot and namesake, whose ship, the SS Guppy, was often attacked in commercials by Jean Lafoote, the Barefoot Pirate.Unlike in real life, Lafoote's punishment was to get his own breakfast cereal -- Jean LaFoote's Cinnamon Crunch. In 1958, Laflin self-published an English translation of the journal. It was specifically intended to prohibit trade with the United Kingdom, as tensions were increasing between the two countries. Lost Gold of Jean Lafitte | Expedition Unknown Wiki | Fandom was born in France around the year 1780 and traveled to the United States when Many of the Baratarians settled in New Orleans or in the Barataria area and some of their descendants still live there today. Because of his track record and reputation, Jean Lafitte was still seen as a criminal in the eyes of the United States. . The mysterious sunken pirate ship contained about $5 million in silver and gold coins. Subscribe to the Pelican State of Mind blog by providing your email below! Merchants in New Orleans began to run out of goods to sell. during the Battle of New Orleans. Workers would reload goods into smaller batches onto pirogues or barges, for transport through the many bayous to New Orleans. You would eventually merge onto the hold of a buried ship on Tom Sawyers Island. Lost Gold Of Jean Lafitte is the 4th episode in Season 5 of Expedition Unknown. The brothers adapted the captured ship for use in piracy and named it Dorada. Captain Campbell became a farmer and remained so until his death in 1856. They married and had two sons together, Jules Jean and Glenn Henri. With the Much to the The ones found their range from the late 1770;s to 1814 or so. Learn Cajun traditions from people who live them. [33], Although under indictment, in March 1813 Lafitte registered as captain of Le Brig Goelette la Diligente for a supposed journey to New York. He withdrew his battered troops and ended French involvement in North America, selling the US what became known as the Louisiana Purchase in 1803: French-claimed lands west of the Mississippi River. . I also. Britain maintained a powerful navy, but the United States had little naval power. My grandfather never got to look for the treasure s. Ive heard he would sometimes slip into Mobile Bay. Lafitte decided to warn American authorities and offered to help defend New Orleans in exchange for a pardon for his men. 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. But the treasure is in my best belief to be in Galveston. For the town named after him, see. And the ship berry bros found look for gold on land nearby. Key to remember is that Lafitte was a business man, who turned merchandise that he acquired into money. While his fleet took a hit, Lafitte himself managed to evade capture. In 1807 the United States outlawed trade with Great Britain and France because of the Napoleonic Wars in Europe. Most of his men had believed that Lafitte had a valid privateering commission although there was confusion as to which country had issued it. His maternal grandmother and mother, both Conversos, fled Spain for France in 1765. His brother Pierre Lafitte was a blacksmith. The story may have begun because Pierre Lafittes mistress owned a building on St. Phillip Street across from todays Blacksmith Shop. [89], Over the next few months, Lafitte established a base along the coast of Cuba, where he bribed local officials with a share of the profits. Thankful for their help with the American victory, in February 1815 President James Madison offered pardons to the Baratarians for any crimes committed against the United States. Lafitte became very familiar with, and eventually mastered, an illegal smuggling profession, which translated into an extremely lucrative career for him. 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. The Mystery of the Final Years of Jean Lafitte . Within weeks, Dorada captured a schooner loaded with goods valued at more than $9,000. Registration for Pierre Lafitte's ship Goelette la Dilidente,a 136 ton schooner, captained by . [99] In 1843, Mirabeau B. Lamar investigated many of the Lafitte stories and concluded that, while there were no authentic records of death, Lafitte was likely dead. They had 3 children together: Jean Antoine Lafitte, Lucien Jean Lafitte, and Denise Jeanette Lafitte. There is no . It is still There are many accounts that say Lafitte settled in [99], Ramsay compares the numerous legends related to the life and death of Jean Lafitte to those about King Arthur and Robin Hood. In later years, he was described as having "a more accurate knowledge of every inlet from the Gulf than any other man". [36] The proclamation was printed in the nationally read Niles' Weekly Register. that the treasure is in a different location now than where it was buried? In September 1814, British military officials sought Lafittes help in their campaign to attack the U.S. from the Gulf of Mexico. Lafittes men did resist arrest by American federal agents and soldiers, wounding, murdering, and capturing several. An attorney representing Lafitte argued that the captured ships had flown the flag of Cartagena, an area at peace with the United States. [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. have buried a large cache of treasure somewhere in the bayous of Louisiana. [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. Experts with . [87] The congressional delegation in Louisiana began to demand that the federal government do something to halt the smuggling, and more US Navy ships were sent to the Gulf. Others formed three artillery companies. 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. The building was surrounded by a moat and painted red; it became known as Maison Rouge. Date of Birth - Death c. 1780-unknown. 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. Jean Lafitte - Students | Britannica Kids | Homework Help Lost Gold of Jean Lafitte on Expedition Unknown - Monsters and Critics GALVESTON.COM: Historical Marker: Jean Lafitte - Galveston, TX North of Tatum, in the middle of the woods, lies . His reading and writing abilities, therefore, remain unclear. Later United States President James Madison pardoned him and his men for their acts of piracy. Smugglers would purchase the slaves for a discounted price, march them to Louisiana, and turn them in to customs officials. 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. Claiborne took a leave of absence in September 1810, leaving Thomas B. Robertson as acting governor. . There are storytelling? 1512. However, reports suggest that the anglers had been fishing for . [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. Historical Marker. Jean With his business carrying on and continuing to grow, so did his wealth. From there, he raided foreign ships in the Gulf of Mexico. It destroyed four ships and most buildings. 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. [2] Some sources say that his father was French and his mother's family had come from Spain.