The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-03-24
LAFITTE AND HIS LIEUTEHAITS.
The Best Authenticated Story OF the
Bold Privateer and His Followers.
Daring Adventures In the Indian Ocean,
Gulf Of Mexico and Caribbean Sea.

that readers might infer that sort o.
dime-novel romance about Blackboard
Capt. Kyd or some other pirate was in
store for them, it may be well to fore.
stall the popular Indignation which
would follow such a proceeding by
stating that they may cast aside all
apprehension on that score. True,
things smacking of piracy, of guns and
drums and villanous saltpetre may be
written of, but the Colossus of this
sketch, Jean LATTE, the Robin Hood
of the Mexican gulf and the Caribbean
sea, and his lieutenants, scorned the
name of pirate and claimed to cruise
the Spanish main under the colors of the
Carthagenian republic. Their history,
as reliably as it is possible to procure it,
is presented this morning, and we can
assure the reader that 'Smany quaint
and curious volume of forgotten lore"
has been searched through and through
for it. AS an old print put it
''The Indian and his light canoe
Like phantoms fade from human view,
And busy steamers pillow the wave,
Bearing the beautiful and brave;
Where once the pirates dusky sail
Was all that wooed the rising gale,
And stream the flags of many land
Britain the great and France the grand
America the land of Faust,
The aem'ry of old quarrels lost,
Within our harbor, side by side,
Mingle and meet like brothers tried
Where lawless men and fierce held sway,
And crime and riot ruled the day,
Now spreads a city, broad aud fair,
And order, morals, laws, are there,
And science and religion smile
Upon the pirates fairy isle
JEAN LAFITTE
Was born in either Bordeaux, Marseilles
or St. Malo, about 1880, there being
some doubt among old chroniclers, as
well as some dispute as to the place
which is to be credited with his nativity.
He began life as mate of a French East
Indiaman, of class of vessels which in
those days carried an armament, and
could be made quite formidable in action.
Quarreling with one of the officers of
the vessel, Lafitte severed his connec-
ton with her, and according to some
chroniclers, "entered upon career of
daring and successful piracy in the In
dian ocean, varied with occasional ven
lures in the slave trade" After several
years spent in this manner, he returned
to his native land only to set sail for
the West Indies, where he took out
privateer's commission from the newly
organized government of Carthagena,
and began depredating upon both Span
ish and British commerce, having par
ticular luminosity to the latter, owing to
his once having been captured by a
British man-ofwar, and subjected to
many hardships and indignities. In his
cruises about the gulf of Mexico LATTE
r l.,
an establishment for the reception of
his prizes and from whence he could dis
pose of his loot to the best advantage.
Thus the years 18l4-15 found him at
the head of a large number of men and
several armed vessels at the island of
Grand Terre, in Barataria bay, thirty
or forty miles west of the delta of the
Mississippi, whence he was dislodged
by the United States forces under Com
modore Patterson. LATTE soon re-
turned to his former rendezvous, aud
his establishment at Grand Terre be-
came as fourishing as it was prior to
Commodore Patterson's visit. Goods
and stores captured by his vessels were
conveyed to New Orleans through the
numerous bayous interesting the coun-
try and disposed of. When the British
were preparing to attack New Orleans
the war brig Sophia was dispatched to
Barataria with letter from Commodore
Percy, commanding the English naval
forces, offering LATTE commission in
the navy and $1,000, conditioned that
he should corporate in the movement
then organizing against New Orleans.
Descending with the commanding Off
Ger of the brig, Laftte asked for time
to consider the offer, and Immediately
wrote to Gov. Claiborne, of Louisiana,
inclosing the proposal made by the Off
Ger and offering his services and those
of his men on condition of full pardon
for all offences against the United States
with which they stood charged. The
offer was accepted, and Laftte, in COM
mand of party of his followers, rem
dered efficient service at the battle of
New Orleans, January 8, 1915, in con-
sideration of which President Madison
confirmed the amnesty granted them
by Gov Claiborne, all of which is de-
tailed at some length in Martins Histo-
ry of Louisiana, published at New Or
leans in 1885.
After the battle Laftte returned to
his old pursuits, and being unable to
remain at Grand Terre, removed to
Galveston (then known as Campeachy)
island in 1917. Here he built a small
town, having his quarters in eomodi-
Gus house painted red, where he was
visited in 1919 by Col. W. d. G. Hall
(who died here some years since) in the
endeavor to secure his cooperation with
Gen. Long in his expedition to Mexico,
but without success.
Lafitte's person is thus described: e.He
was q well formed, handsome man,
about six feet two inches in height,
strongly built, with large hazel eyes
and black hair, and generally wore
moustache. He dressed in green uni
form and otter skin cap. He was a man
of polite and easy manners, of retired
habits, generous disposition, and of such
a winning address that influence over
his followers was almost absolute. He
located his town on the ruin of Aury's
village, built a house, which he painted
red, and threw up round it a fort"
While Lafitte was located on the island
he had FIVE or six armed vessels and a
| large number of followers. In 1919
the island was visited by severe storm
and several of the vessels were driven
ashore on the mainland. Shortly after
the occupation one of Lafttess men
stole squaw from the Caranchua tribe
of Indians, who often resorted to the
west end Of the island. and kept posses
sion OF her. This so euraged the In
dams that they attacked hunting par
| ty of the buccaneers and killed two Of
them. In return the Indians were at
tackled by Lafitte with 200 men and two
4