[17], Based in New Orleans, Pierre Lafitte served as a silent partner, looking after their interests in the city. Most of these battles took place at or near Chalmette Plantation, now Chalmette Battlefield and part of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. [19] When Claiborne returned to office, he was relatively quiet on the subject. 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.. [38] Following the reward offer, Lafitte wrote Claiborne a note denying the charges of piracy. 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]. They married and had two sons together, Jules Jean and Glenn Henri. instead of just one? Metal detector companies may be the only satisfied Is the image on this article what the actual chest looked like? Jean Lafitte proves to be an aberration as he acted as patriot to the United States during the War of 1812. In 1958, Laflin self-published an English translation of the journal. jean lafitte shipwreck found. [27], Governor William C.C. (The United States and the United Kingdom had prohibited the Atlantic slave trade after 1808, but Spain continued to import slaves to the Caribbean.) Much to the The stairs run beside it. Due to escalating violence from the Haitian Revolution, in early 1803 Pierre boarded a refugee ship for New Orleans. One of the pirate's captains had attacked an American merchant ship. Jean Lafitte was a pirate and privateer known for his smuggling operations. Lafitte's ship is called "The Pride," but that's something they've already found. In February 1823, Lafitte was cruising off the town of Omoa, Honduras, on his schooner General Santander. #1. Later, the Acadian Cultural Center in Lafayette, the Prairie Acadian Cultural Center in Eunice, and theWetlands Acadian Cultural Center in Thibodaux were added to the park, and stories connect Lafitte with those areas too. To the north of Tatum, in the middle of the forest, lies Lake Hendrix. Pinkerton is a mysterious figure. [42], Following the charges of November 10, 1812, and subsequent arrest and jailing of his brother Pierre, Jean Lafitte operated the piracy and smuggling business. 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 . It was, at least initially, relatively free of scrutiny from any of the governments in the region. History suggests there is a possibility that hidden treasuresgold coins, doubloons, precious jewelryare somewhere beneath the surface just waiting to be found! Having lived The Americans took custody of six schooners, one felucca, and a brig, as well as 20cannon and goods worth $500,000. Jean Lafitte is thought to have died in 1823, whilst attacking a Spanish ship. What: Lecture and book signing. The following day, Lafitte took command of the island and appointed his own officers. Josh Gates is on a mission to find the hidden treasure of Jean Lafitte, the French pirate and privateer, this week on Expedition Unknown. . A representative of the smuggler would purchase the slaves at the ensuing auction, and the smuggler would be given half of the purchase price. (Spain had become an ally of the British against the French.) [88] In October or November 1821, Lafitte's ship was ambushed as he attempted to ransom a recent prize. 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 . A number of details about Jean Lafitte's early life remain obscure and often sources contradict each other. Legend said it was a ship Lafitte sunk or said he sunk in the Old Sabine River while being pursued by a federal gunboat. [102] Ramsay believes that over time, almost "every foot of Grande Isle has been spaded for pirate gold". His brother Pierre Lafitte was a blacksmith. 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. 2001-11-18 04:00:00 PDT Wallisville, Texas -- Using a machete, Anahuac Jack hacks through branches . While his fleet took a hit, Lafitte himself managed to evade capture. Radford, Victor and the Pirate: A Story of New Orleans During the War of 1812, Childcraft (Vol. According to his 2005 book, Lafitte was born in or near Pauillac, France, the son of Pierre Lafitte and his second wife, Marguerite Desteil. The Barataria chief then had 1100 men under his . Lafitte, a one-time resident of Louisiana and privateer, is believed by some to Let us know in the comments Within two days of his offer, handbills were posted all over New Orleans offering a similar award for the arrest of the governor. [4], Some sources speculate that Lafitte was born in the French colony of Saint-Domingue (known as Haiti since it gained independence in 1804). 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. Rogers was a member of Jean Lafitte's pirate crew in 1812. A grand jury indicted Pierre Lafitte after hearing testimony against him by one of the city's leading merchants. $130,000 of Jean Lafitte's treasure is thought to be buried near Bolivar Point. below! The bay was located beyond a narrow passage between the barrier islands of Grand Terre and Grande Isle. Claiborne took a leave of absence in September 1810, leaving Thomas B. Robertson as acting governor. Although the city kept control of the eight ships taken from Lafitte, it did not have enough sailors to man them for defense. He seemed to think the whole world was against him, and he determined to be against the world. The couple had six children, including at least three daughters. 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. Discover New Orleans' rich cultural mix. End of Campeche[edit] In 1821, the schooner USS Enterprise was sent to Galveston to remove Lafitte from the Gulf. . These men were pardoned after testifying that they had deserted from Lafitte's ship in Galveston when they discovered that it did not have a valid privateering commission. Experts with . In the 1938 and 1958 films The Buccaneer, Lafitte claims he never attacked an American ship. . the treasure be today? a legend in his own time, after his patriotic actions in the Battle of New Orleans. After Jean's reported death in the mid-1820s, the widowed Catiche took up with Feliciano Ramos. . An archivist for Bexar County, Texas, declared the papers to be authentic. [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). 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. The boys were given a basic Catholic education. [18] Seamen flocked to the island, working on the docks or at the warehouses until they were chosen as crew for one of the privateers.[19]. The crew would create a manifest that listed not the provisions that had been purchased, but smuggled items stored at Barataria. [97][Note 3] The Gaceta de Cartagena and the Gaceta de Colombia carried obituaries that noted, "the loss of this brave naval officer is moving. Guests could've been able to enter Laffite's crypt near the Haunted Mansion. Many of the smugglers wanted to lynch the British men, but Lafitte intervened and placed guards outside his home to ensure their protection. [64] He formally requested clemency for the Lafittes and the men who had served under them. [122] He is also referred to in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride in which the boat dock is labeled LaFitte's Landing. Jean Lafitte spent most of his time in Barataria managing the daily hands-on business of outfitting privateers and arranging the smuggling of stolen goods. But remember Lafittes black dogs are still around dont go a hunting unless you are prepared to suffer the consequences. goal to once again evade U.S. seizure and to come back to it later. Jean Lafitte's fabeled ship, The Pride, sunk well over a hundred years ago. [93], In June 1822, Lafitte approached the officials in the Great Colombia, whose government under General Simn Bolvar had begun commissioning former privateers as officers in its new navy. any leads as to where Lafittes treasure might be? Rosenberg Library, Galveston (Public Domain) Jean Lafitte (galement orthographi Laffite, c. 1780 - c. 1820) tait un meneur franco-amricain de pirates et de corsaires qui captura des navires marchands de diffrents tats dans le golfe du Mexique de 1810 1820. Governor Claiborne of Louisiana once offered a $500 reward to anyone who captured Jean Laffite; Laffitte offered a counter reward of $5,000 to anyone who captured the governor. Several times customs officials and soldiers tried to capture Lafi tte in the swamps, but they were usually captured, wounded, or killed by the Baratarians. [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". (In English documents, his last name was often spelled Lafitte, but Laffite was the spelling used by Jean and his brother Pierre.) An attorney representing Lafitte argued that the captured ships had flown the flag of Cartagena, an area at peace with the United States. (He was actually more of a land based businessman than a privateer or pirate at sea.) New Orleans Lafitte's fate has remained a mystery for 183 years. Found a mamouth tooth a a tiny brick made of shell it has letters P on it and the other I cant make out. Laffite is believed to have been born either in Basque-France or the French colony of Saint-Domingue in the Caribbean. According to Ramsay, Lafitte, his elder brother Pierre, and his widowed mother migrated from Saint-Domingue to New Orleans in the 1780s. It was stuck in the crack of the stairs. Another site near Niblett's Bluff, 40 Gums, had previously been searched. Lafitte conducted most of his business aboard his ship, The Pride, where he also lived. Captain Campbell became a farmer and remained so until his death in 1856. 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. One of the men was found living in east Texas where he had bought a farm. 3. That night his remaining men reboarded the General Victoria and destroyed its masts and spars, crippling the ship, but they left the crew unharmed. That was problematic for New Orleans merchants, who had relied heavily on trade with Caribbean colonies of other nations. Jean Lafitte, sometimes spelled Laffite, was born in approximately 1780 in either France or Saint Domingue (modern day Haiti) and according historian H.W . Lafitte for a time lived a lavish lifestyle, complete with servants and the finest housewares and other accoutrements.[78]. A statue dedicated to the pirate Jean Lafitte can be found next to the water by the fishing boats In February 1823, the infamous pirate Jean Lafitte, severely wounded from an encounter with Spanish warships, sailed his schooner General Santander westward from the coast of Cuba into oblivion. They will haunt you in your dreams for making a "I'm proud of them. 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. They might have been businessmen in New Orleans or independent privateers before becoming associated with the smugglers of Barataria. 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. In September 1814, British military officials sought Lafittes help in their campaign to attack the U.S. from the Gulf of Mexico. 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. [5][12] He was known to adopt more aristocratic mannerisms and dress than most of his fellow privateers. Legend holds that the Pirate Jean LaFitte, or in some other versions Santa Anna, left treasure at Hendrick's Lake near Tatum. Jean Lafitte was a Privateer Captain in the early 19th century. [63] On land and sea, the former pirate gunners earned praise as the battle continued. [36], In October, a revenue officer prepared an ambush of a band of Lafitte's smugglers. To this day, [25] Dorada captured a fourth ship, a schooner they renamed Petit Milan. The United States made the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. 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. Many of the Baratarians settled in New Orleans or in the Barataria area and some of their descendants still live there today. In later years, he was described as having "a more accurate knowledge of every inlet from the Gulf than any other man". The business was so profitable because Lafitte was selling smuggled, foreign goods to the people of New Orleans. 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. But the gold and diamond jewl was the confirmation I needed. The men working for Lafitte were called Baratarians because the waterways they used for smuggling were located in an area called Barataria (the Barataria Preserve of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve is located in this area). Although the plans were scrapped, a bricked up entrance close to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride pays homage to this idea.[125]. , He brought all captured goods to Barataria. LINCOLNTON, N.C. (WBTV) - In the 1820s, pirate Jean Laffite, a smuggler from the Gulf Coast area in Louisiana, allegedly faked his death. . times as a smuggler and privateer, he became very wealthy. 1417 Harborside Drive. [10] Davis places Lafitte's brother Pierre in Saint-Domingue by the late 1790s and the early 19th century. Lafitte decided to warn American authorities and offered to help defend New Orleans in exchange for a pardon for his men. North of Tatum, in the middle of the woods, lies . His men tore down the existing houses and built 200 new, sturdier structures. The smugglers often held letters of marque from multiple countries, authorizing them to capture booty from differing nations. [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. have buried a large cache of treasure somewhere in the bayous of Louisiana. Laflin said he himself was a descendant of Jean Lafitte and had found the book in a trunk he had inherited. [28] The residents of New Orleans were grateful to the Lafittes for providing them with luxuries otherwise prevented from importing by the embargo. [20] As the schooner did not have an official commission from a national government, its captain was considered a pirate operating illegally. [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. [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. Stories of the buried treasure of Jean Lafitte can be found all over the state of Louisiana. 70130, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. [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. [117] Laflin had been previously accused of forging letters purportedly from Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Jackson, and Davy Crockett. Wounded in the battle, Lafitte is believed to have died just after dawn on February 5. What if these stories are factual? Located 25 minutes from downtown New Orleans, Jean Lafitte Swamp Tours has been operating daily bayou tours since the 1980s. The information I found about the Don Felipe treasure was research I did online not sure if it . Where: 1859 Ashton Villa, 2328 Broadway Ave. J, Galveston. The second item was a personal note to Lafitte from McWilliam's superior, Lieutenant Colonel Edward Nicolls, urging him to accept the offer.[47]. Only six houses survived as habitable.[80]. "[55], When General Andrew Jackson arrived in New Orleans on December 1, 1814, he discovered the city had not created any defenses. 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. Lafitte also always insisted that he was a privateer, not a pirate. Within two days of Lafitte's notes, Pierre "escaped" from jail. Families with the surname Lafitte have been found in Louisiana documents from 1765. He vowed his intention to make indiscriminate war upon all God . Watch an alligator bask on a bayou's bank. By 1806, several "Captain Lafitte"s operated in New Orleans; Jean Lafitte was likely one of them. On April 18, he sailed for New Orleans to report his activities. Lafitte always insisted that if he committed any crime, it was smuggling, and he blamed American laws for forcing him into illegal activities. 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. The silver that Lafitte accumulated from selling captured slaves, cotton, and other goods was stored in wooden kegs or casks. [44], Captain Nicholas Lockyer, the commander of the Sophie, had been ordered to contact the "Commandant at Barataria". [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". 1776 - ca. What was the name of Lafitte's pirate ship? In 1807 the United States outlawed trade with Great Britain and France because of the Napoleonic Wars in Europe. In 1812, several Baratarians including both Pierre and Jean Lafitte were captured but jumped bail. 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. [92] By the end of 1822, Cuba had banned all forms of sea raiding. treasure of Jean Lafitte. [59] With Lafitte's encouragement, many of his men joined the New Orleans militia or as sailors to man the ships. 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. [57], In mid-December, Jackson met with Lafitte, who offered to serve if the US would pardon those of his men who agreed to defend the city. Despite this, no silver bars were found. He and his older brother Pierre spelled their last name Laffite, but English language documents of the time used "Lafitte".This has become the common spelling in the United States, including places named after him. Jean Lafitte was born September 25, 1781. [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. [34] Biographer Jack Ramsay speculates that the voyage was intended to "establish [Lafitte] as a privateering captain".