Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1843-09-09
"REMINISCENCES or LAFtTf'E!

/, Of the ordinary herd Of ftBe4 hooters. ever rea
. dy for plumber, and al all times willing, an
y more than anxious III seeking fof blood. Thos
tales with a thoisand exaegeratirnf1s wer
stored IN mienitryl and It HAY be. iii i tim
blinded Az 10 d proper view Of his truly noble
: magnaniniuus, and chiyalro,is conduct durins
the late war, wheh offered immunity. life, II
!. . berty, honor aid wealth By tbs commander d
the British expedition against New Orleans
no refused al bribesi and with high toned no
tll'ty; and that true courage which Was liz.
, honbtedly possessed by hiti in ali eriinan, lie.
gree, lie came almost tingarded within ttt
American lines, and entered evgn tie city Of
New Orleans, and there IN The Tacs Of that ai.
thority, which had declared biri, an outlaw;
offered h!s services through 1dyernof Ciai-
borne to Gen. taekeoni stating The lavish offers
made him BY Britain he obsereed, dali these
cir, ] reject with scorn, and ask but immliniLy
Tom THE American government for The scrfi-
ces | may perform during the conflict which
must shortly occur. tYour Services are ac-
cepted," replied The Gen; land the best efforts
OF the government of Louisiana ard n ysaIf
shall tu Used in yoit behalf TO obtain The Slight
return you ask. Tile services you elm render
us, were worthy higher reward, bit enotkhl
you have proven that wealth ftot fofHf ,cafi
bride you--you are now IN American Aoldier,
choose your position ami tentettitet that you
have ms, entire corifdente.'' a
The gloridua Eigth dawned Ii in The greyness
and gloom of a wihtrf dayl-the battle was no.
ply fought, and most nobly won. Laftte; true
to himself and the pledge given, was first in
the fight, occupying the most prominent point
Of attack, the spot where the gallant Rennit
mot death in his efforts to scale tho breast.
yNork The hottutt, IF I nHtf, ,.ha iL. tis
death to the advancing squadrdnH , his> men,
like uncaged fhries gIorying in the desperate
carnage, wanted no order, to load or fire.
each second, every Instant the sheeted lathe
covered With its lurid glare, the ride breast
work and misty air~aand like tie spirit Of
death, the forth, Of baftte was seen fitting
from pointio point, aiming this piece, or chang.
lhg the position of that, and the shot or shells
fell thick and fast--his bright sword with
CLEARING fash. told by it's proud waving tie
death of gallant hui lreds. 49,
But TO tho tale-wo give 1t merely as
calculating il gcneroie tfait in his charac.
ter, exhibited id ai int,den. never before
pub|ished-we give 1t frdm the lips Of tho
individual who was The principal actor in
the scene-a gentleman whose acquain.
lance vi had The pleasure Of mailing in the
parish Of AsceDsion. % f5E#5 <1et
During tho year 1912, setefe bFdors
were issued by the government 10 the re.
venue officers nj N. Orleans, 10 put III 10.
QUESTION, DIT any moment when REQUESTS a
strong force in order TO suppress the smug.
Cling known to be carried on most exten.
sively by La6tte. Mr.. q. nm attach OF
the inspectet's office In New Orleans, was
on tho occasion despatched TO Donaldson.
Vile with a few men to intercept seine
three Or four. boats from Barataria, known
to be ip the Lafourche, and on the route to
New Orleans-He called, to his aid, Mr..
r., thetf n youth IF abont eighteen, who
eagerly availed himself of the opportunity
of joining ii what he thought was chance
for fine sport. 7. @@.
They captured the boat and placed The
goods on board a large family fat.boat,
borrowed from a plantation on the, Mis5is.
sippi, near the point of capture.
Proceeding on their course, having TO
with n severe head wind, they
were compelled to detail a portion Of their
,rew to cordeNo--thus dividing their force
70 as to render the boat an easy conquest
land though no aware that they were
closely followed and watched by Laftte, a
watch wqls constantly kept. On reaching
| point about nine miles above New Or. I
cans, the tordtlIiers were suddenly stop s
,Sd, captufed and tied, and a small boat 4
illed with men shot out from the shore and {
the Revenue fiat in an instant. {
ir. r. was on guard, he fired at the first
nan who stepped on board, and disabled T
i'm, and he il return wsas severely, dan. r
wounded by another, before he I
,ouId seize another gun-at this moment,
the commander, being aroused by the |
'oise came to the door, and on hearing The r
ny Of, Laftte, .retreated and closed the r
|oofy fastening it ON the inside. A parley +
vas held and life promised him-rlss open. G
ID the door and was Knocked down by a /
who was severely .reptimanded by i
.afitte-on recovering he jumped over. +
'oard to escape, But was r%ecapturcd by a h
The boat commanded by Laftte, y
ras ordered up stream and progressed The q
shole cf that day. reaching about night n
pc Of the places Of Rendezvous for the band. $
l., who was most dangerously wounded, /
sas kindly cared for, a practised nurse put .
n charge Of him, a physician of the vici. 4
lily was called in, and an express semi for h
he best surgeon in, New Orleans-he ar I
ived next day and the ba lis wsre extract. y
some twenty.f BUCK slot in the limbs !,
nd various parts Of the body-one only !
left, and remains a nieriento Of the i
vent. ., ...I {
G. made his escape, and a force was r
iised by another officer to attempt a re. n
apture. Laftte being duly Informed of n
movements Of his opponents, retired to \
is f~a'stnesssI at Barataria, leaving R, quite +,
'eaR, III charge of the old black man. n
Eaftte expressed grent' regret and COM T
liseration, and prresented him with large 8
mount, Of goods as some return for his =
isfsrtunes--tho goods were sto!hn' from i
i'm during his Illness. Eaftte Nearing Of a
lis, sent Him messages at various times, :,
hifn' to visit Barataria, and pro: =
Using to present him with any amount of "
oods he might wish" Bring a big boat %
nd I wiV fiji her" N" =
r. on the night Of bis misfortune, was
ated ih' the room with the man he had y,
seriously wounded--they talked the o.
atteT over in the Frost friendly manner, o,
Id the fellow observed to him, IF like o,
spunk, you're a noble boy" oil
From conversation with many indiyidl. b,
= residing in. this region at that period, o,
3 learn that LATTE was unknown to them nj
I'm Mrs fo--an nj wac inoLad ,,pnhl ohIy IN a: