Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-08-29
A DESCRIPTION OF LAFITTE.
Some Account of HIS Career. and
an Auecd0te of DOmi nique, as Re
lated by an Eminent and Vener-
able Late Citizen.

-, where ] took my meals and fre.
quently met him. He was handsome
man, with black hair and eyes, fair com
plexion, and wore, as was then fashion
able, narrow whiskers coming down each
cheek and around the chin. He was an
, excellent inguist, and at table would
, converse Auently with individuals from
every port in Europe-with the Borde-
lais in his native patois; with English,
. Spanish, Italians, each in their own
language. But French was the Ian
guage he commonly used, and this he
spoke grammatically and like man OF
education, but always with a patois ac-
cent.
Laftte commenced his unlawful ca
reer by smuggling during the embargo.
Among other things he smuggled in
negroes, which he sold chiefly in the La
fourche country; some of whom now
(l863) still remain alive. He subse-
quently fitted out three vessels as priva-
teers, under the flag of the republic of
Colombia, and attacked the commerce
of Spain. In six months the Colombian
government was changed, Lafttes pa
pers were no longer valid and his large
outfit became probably dead loss. He
continued his cruises, and became a
pirate. believe he attacked none but
Spanish vessels. | remember when three
Spanish vessels were brought into Gail
lou Islands, near Last Island; they were
laden with certain Spanish wine, and
the citizens of the Attakapas went out
to see them, and purchased part of the
cargo.
In 1914, when the English made their
descent upon the coast of Louisiana,
they made an offer to La6tte to Join
them, which he refused. He sent their
proposals to John r. Grimes and Alb
ner Duncan, volunteer aids to General
Jackson-prominint citizens, who had
known Lafitte in his reputable days, and
he offered through them to lend his ser
vices to aid the American cause. These
gentlemen cautiously introduced the
subject to Jackson, and proposed his
papers, and induced him to consider his
offer. Laftte stipulated for pardon
for himself and his men, sixty in num-
ber. 1t was settled that they should
surrender. He informed jackson that
he must be surrounded by number
three times larger than his own band
My men, said he, will never give up
if they are only two to one"
All was done as was agreed upon.
He was surrounded; he surrendered,
was placed in prison, and his pardon
granted. To him and to his men was
given the command of some guns at the
Notifications. They we're good gun
ners, and their pieces made'great havoc
among the enemy They were placed |
near the swamp; the enemy advancing
diagonally little toward the center,
the pirates guns had full sweep Of them. |
After the battle of New Orleans, but
little is known of Lafitte and his men,
They determined to seek some land
where the story of their crimes had not |
penetrated. They quilted New Orleans
and went to Galveston Island-some say
for the purpose Of colonizing it, others
say to dig up treasures buried there.
The last is improbable; men of their
profession are notoriously reckless, and
prodigal of their means; pirates and
robbers never save. If they had treas
ures to bury it is safe to conjecture that
they would select some spot more con-
venient to their haunts than Galveston
Island, when in adverse weather it must
have taken several days to make the
trip, and which, from its very remote
ness, must have been exposed to be I
plundered by faithless members of the ]
band. {
From Galveston Island it is uncertain {
whittier they went. 1t is said that Lafitte {
sailed to South America. The absence
of all intelligence is a proof that he was |
of his past career, and changed I
his name and profession, as he had in t
tended, and led new life. q
have heard it stated that he has a +
laughter living now (l863) in New Or
eans. h
Laftte was no sailor; he never com z
handed vessel. He equipped them, n
paid their expenses, sold the cargoes of n
vessels, and was the financial g
The vessels at sea were com s.
handed by captain employed by him, T.
lamed Dominique, rare and skillful Il
ailor, small, fair with kind and pleas
int face, q perfect picture of Cooper II
Red Rover. A citizen of st. Martin,
he late John f. Miller, related to me >,
he following: That once he carried =
nto Cuba, from New Orleans, cargo ~
# -four, which he sold for twenty thou ID
and dollars; but bills of exchange were
lot in use between Havana and New -
orleans, or at any rate he could procure u
zone, and that he was forced to bring o.' I.
ack the money in the schooner that had = -
aiken out the flour; that he packed the 10
ollars carefully in crates like oranges ~
aking few filled with the latter for use %
t sea, and for his household at home. ~ ~
When near the coast of Florida his YES Ut
Ell was boarded by pirates, and Domin- al
lue, whom Mr.. Miller had known in p
lew Orleans, stepped aboard he u
reeted Mr.. Miller kindly, and this gen re
eman, as may be guessed, was all IS
ourtesy. ID
well, Miller, what have you on board an a;
,-dayY III III
Nothing but little rum and few IN IN
rates of oranges. VI
why, didn't you sell that aour2" az az
Yes, Dominique; bnt you did not VI
link | was going to bring the money gil
lck while you've got vessel2 And / Z 4
I'D the -four badly; it was poor spec. 4, 10
ation. wish had let it alone. What II
made left in Cuba" ue
Well, let me see. 81
Mr.. Miller led him down and showed wa
M the crates, and even opened one, @'
,ntaining oranges, Of course.
Well, Mr.. Miller, you have nothing If
at | want, except n few oranges and a ba
tie rum for my men. Let me have bn
ose and l will let you 90 on. ;ns
With the greatest alacrity Mr. Miller al,
ID the oranges and rum handed into
e boat, which now departed with Dom sr,
ique and those Of his men who had ~
companied hin. ID
Years passed away; the war With EH-
a M Lrnln. ...t n.r..n.n... .-..-....