The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-12-31
Lafitte, the Pirate.


furnished some of the most skillful sea
men and daring privateersmen of Bay
Onne. In the war of the French revolu'
ton, when the commerce of his native
province was almost destroyed, he em.
barked as Lieutenant on board of private
armed vessel, which, after brilliant
career, was finally captured and carried
into an English port. Here young La
fitte, with the other officers and the crew,
were cast into prison. Time passed;
his Captain, his brother Lieutenants, the
common men even, obtained freedom,
but Lafitte himself remained prisoner.
His friends, however, and relatives left
nothing undone to procure his release.
Several times were prisoners of equal
rank sent into English ports through
the agency of his old Captain, in order
to be exchanged for him, but it was not
till many long years had passed that La
fitte found himself free. This long inn
prisonment aroused in him an almost
savage thirst for vengeance against En-
gland; and on his release he returned
Immediately to priYateering, principally
for the harm he might thus visit on
English shipping and English COM
merce.
The treaty of Fontainbleau and the
subsequent pacification of Europe de-
prived him of the means of legally con-
tinuing his revenge. But long years of
solitary brooding in the dungeons of his
English prison, and during his night
watches afterward on the lonely sea, had
destroyed to great extent his reverence
for human laws, and he determined to
continue his career. AS it was only
against England he sought revenge, he
never attacked any but English vessels.
His relations in France heard of his
course with pain, and demonstrated with
him earnestly and tearfully. But Lafitte
was memorable. His friends, aware how
great had been the provocation, could
say no more, but from that hour, for
many long years, the name of the wan
dering outlaw ceased to be spoken in the
household of his father, and children, in
whose veins ran blood kindred to his
own, grew up to manhood ignorant of
his very existence.
The subsequent career of Lafitte is
well known. Though he committed acts
of piracy only on British vessels, he paid
no regard to the revenue laws of any ma
ton. For long period he had under
his command large force, which shell
tered in the Bay of Barataria, and as the
Pirate of the Gulf and the terror of Brit
ish commerce in American waters, his
name will descend to the latest times
Driven from the Gulf by British cruisers
TO his so-called Temple on Grand Terre,
and, hotly pursued, he would cross the
10 afa,., s,fo
ming his fleet into Casminado Bay, with
its many islands, or, passing through
Little Lake into Bayou Pierot, or through
Bayou Barataria and Lake Ouicha into
Bayou DIES Allemandes, he successfully
eluded the vigilance of his pursuers,
holding high revel with his desperadoes
almost within hearing of both State and
National forces
The last act of his eventful career was
the elimination of his long treasured re-
venge, and served also to restore him to
favor with the people and the authorities
of Louisiana. whose laws he had so long
set at defiance. 1t was at the battle of
New Orleans. He was the genius of the
great battle. His blood boiled at the
sight of the red-coats. Lies Anglais
perfidesl'' he shouted to his men; ''make
every shot tell! fire low my boy -frer'
he Numbered to them. and his were the
first guns to fire. Later in the battle
General officer is seen to lead the British
forces. He mounts the parapet, waving
his sword and cheering his men. Lafitte
sprang forward with pistol in hand-a
flash, and Packenham falls mortally
wounded The victory is gained and
Lafitte's revenge stated.
Shortly after the battle citizens of New
Orleans gave grand ball to the officers
of General Jackson's army, at which
Laiitte was an honored guest, and was
introduced to all as one Of the heroes of
the battle. General Coffee, of Jackson's
staff, was thus introduced, and seemed
20 exhibit some hesitation when the name
OF Lafitte was spoken, and which he
could not distinctly hear Lafitte imme-
diately drew himself up with hauteur,
and hurriedly advanced step or two,
exclaiming with peculiar emphasis, LA
fitte, the Pirater General Coffee i'm
mediately advanced to Lafitte, and, tax
ing him by the hand, apologized for the
tardy manner in which he recognized
the introduction, and explained the cause
of his hesitation. Subsequently General
Coffee visited Lafitte at the Temple, on
Grand Terre, and parted warm friends.
Shortly after this visit old memories
were reawakened, his early education,
which had been strict, asserted its infiu-
ence, and he sighed to return again to
civilized life. to lay down the sword of
the pirate chief, and pass his days in
quiet. The volcano of passion or insan-
iity, for it was as much the last as the
first, had burned out in that fiery heart.
Resigning in favor of his faithful Lieuten-
ant Chauvet, he returned to his native
land, where he became reconciled to his
family, liv"d on the cid homestead where
he was born, and died in 1916, after
many years of usefulness, charity and
devotion; his wife, whom he had married
in Louisiana, surviving him but a few
years. 1t has been said that Lafitte re-
tanned to the last moment of his life his
lifelong animosity; almost his last words
were, les AagtGis perfdeS!-N O. Cor.
Louisville Cowrier-JourmGl.
The LarVpet f)i0mond Eound fbis Cta, t,,.x