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Jean was sent to Galveston Island, a part of Spanish Texas that served as the home base of Louis-Michel Aury, a French privateer who claimed to be a Mexican revolutionary. The American warship which captured him turned Lafitte over to the local authorities, who promptly released him. History suggests there is a possibility that hidden treasuresgold coins, doubloons, precious jewelryare somewhere beneath the surface just waiting to be found! Located 25 minutes from downtown New Orleans, Jean Lafitte Swamp Tours has been operating daily bayou tours since the 1980s. Jean Lafitte (ca. An archivist for Bexar County, Texas, declared the papers to be authentic. Exactly where he was from remains a bit clouded, They believe now they've found his sunken ship. Was it buried underground or lost under water? Lafitte agreed to leave the island without a fight, and on May 7, 1821, departed on The Pride. British forces sought access to the Mississippi River to gain control of the interior of the US. He wrote Jean Laffitte: Gentleman Rover based on the journal. [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. [21] In January 1813, they took their first prize, a Spanish hermaphrodite brig loaded with 77slaves. hidden treasures have been told time and time again in childrens books, video On September 13, 1814, Commodore Daniel Patterson set sail aboard the USSCarolina for Barataria. that the treasure was on board one of Lafittes vessels and sank to the ocean Lafittes men did resist arrest by American federal agents and soldiers, wounding, murdering, and capturing several. The ship would sail to the mouth of Bayou Lafourche, load the contraband goods, and sail "legally" back to New Orleans, with goods listed on a certified manifest. A $27 million treasure supposedly lies buried on Pelican Island. The Sabin, a ship belonging to Robert Kleberg and Van Roeder, is said to have sunk with valuables off Galveston Island. One of the men was found living in east Texas where he had bought a farm. But the gold and diamond jewl was the confirmation I needed. The Temple was located just North of what is today Little Lake, in Lafittes time it was Little Lake Barataria, where Bayou Perot and Bayou Rigolets meet. Other variations of the mystery say Lafitte buried the treasure in multiple His men burned the Maison Rouge, fortress, and settlement. residents of Texas have claimed that the treasure was buried somewhere along ), Nicolas, p. 277. states that he held a local (acting) rank of Captain of Royal Marines, R.L. [116] Handwriting analysis experts affirmed that conclusion. Jean Lafitte's ship was named "The General Jackson". It was also the location that US Forces attacked, causing his band to make a hasty retreat. [4], Some sources speculate that Lafitte was born in the French colony of Saint-Domingue (known as Haiti since it gained independence in 1804). Jean was a handsome man by all accounts, of great personal charm and became . He was given a burial at sea in the Gulf Of Honduras and speculation about the whereabouts of his treasure hoard has . The silver that Lafitte accumulated from selling captured slaves, cotton, and other goods was stored in wooden kegs or casks. . The brothers stripped down their original ship and used its guns to outfit the new one. Believing that the Americans would eventually prevail in the war against Britain, Lafitte thought he could more easily defeat the US revenue officers than he could the British Navy. In 1948, John Andrechyne Laflin approached the Missouri Historical Society with a French-language manuscript he claimed was a journal Lafitte kept from 1845 until 1850. There are many accounts that say Lafitte settled in Its well known about the boat company started with silver found near Lake Salvador. treasure of Jean Lafitte. [116] Many researchers noticed a similarity between John Laflin's handwriting and the writing in the journal. Jean LaFitte, that colorful character who roamed the Gulf Coast in the early 1800s was said to be many things - smuggler, pirate and patriot. Although the city kept control of the eight ships taken from Lafitte, it did not have enough sailors to man them for defense. An American ship was boarded near our coast, . The smuggling operations of the well-known privateer eventually came to a screeching halt, though, when the United States began enforcing the embargo in New Orleans city limits some time after the act passed. and the fear of being captured, Lafitte allegedly buried his treasure with the "Ladies and gentlemen, meet Jean Lafitte. They were held in port under custody of the United States Marshal. It was, at least initially, relatively free of scrutiny from any of the governments in the region. A treasured mystery, [40], Claiborne appealed to the new state legislature, citing the lost revenues due to the smuggling. The benefits of Jean Lafitte agreement to the British were numerous and well calculated. By 1806, several "Captain Lafitte"s operated in New Orleans; [] There are many stories about famed pirate Jean Lafitte, but one places his lost buried treasure at the bottom of a lake right here in East Texas. Jean Lafitte, a famous pirate, buried his treasures along the coasts of Florida. Jean Lafitte was born September 25, 1781. That was more of his commerce center, again where he exchanged merchandise for coin. Lafitte for a time lived a lavish lifestyle, complete with servants and the finest housewares and other accoutrements.[78]. Lafitte essentially developed Galveston Island as another smuggling base. Woodblock print of the death of Jean Lafitte from The Pirates Own Book, published in 1837. In exchange, the king asked for Lafitte and his forces to promise to assist in the naval fight against the United States and to return any recent property that had been captured from Spanish ships. Registration for Pierre Lafitte's ship Goelette la Dilidente,a 136 ton schooner, captained by . He was nursed back to health by Emma Hortense Mortimer. [50], The US ordered an attack on Lafitte's colony. Lafitte also always insisted that he was a privateer, not a pirate. "[64] Jackson named Jean and Pierre Lafitte for having "exhibited the same courage and fidelity". She placed Pierre to be raised by extended family elsewhere in Louisiana. After Jean Lafitte and his Baratarian crew finished fighting in New Orleans, and received their promised pardon, Lafitte could not maintain a simple private life for long, so he returned to life on the high seas. In 1812, several Baratarians including both Pierre and Jean Lafitte were captured but jumped bail. Ramsay believes that Lafitte died of a fever in 1826 or 1827 on, Ramsay believes the documents were written by Laflin's ancestor, Matthew Laflin (18031854), who may have convinced his descendants that he was Jean Lafitte. [94] For the first time, Lafitte was legally authorized to take Spanish ships. [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]. In the Journal de Jean Lafitte, the authenticity of which is contested, Lafitte claims to have been born in Bordeaux, France, in 1780 to Sephardic Jewish parents. The Laffites moved their operations to an island in Barataria Bay, Louisiana. Like Barataria, Galveston was a seaward island that protected a large inland bay. You'll need to arrive by 5:30pm and bring your ID plus there is a $3.00 USD boarding fee. . After Lafitte's men abducted a Karankawa woman, warriors of her tribe attacked and killed five men of the colony. He is considered something of a historic anti-hero in Louisiana and around the Gulf of Mexico, having engaged in smuggling and piracy for a number of years yet - during the Battle of New Orleans in 1815 - helped defend the city from the . Workers would reload goods into smaller batches onto pirogues or barges, for transport through the many bayous to New Orleans. [48] He had also been told in August that American officials were planning an assault on Barataria with forces under the command of Commodore Daniel Patterson. storytelling? From there, he raided foreign ships in the Gulf of Mexico. national hero. . 1417 Harborside Drive, Galveston, TX ( Directions) One of over 200 historical markers on the island, this marker is located at the former house Maison Rouge of notorious pirate Jean Lafitte. [53], Likely inspired by Lafitte's offer to help defend Louisiana, Governor Claiborne wrote the US Attorney General, Richard Rush requesting a pardon for the Baratarians, saying that for generations, smugglers were "esteemed honest [and] sympathy for these offenders is certainly more or less felt by many of the Louisianans". Yes I visited his home the Mason rouge in Campeche Galveston tx. [13] He was educated with his brother at a military academy on Saint Kitts. pardoned by General Andrew Jackson in praise of his efforts and accomplishments In approximately 1784, his mother married Pedro Aubry, a New Orleans merchant, keeping Jean with her. [73] Aury returned to Galveston several months later, but he left in July when he realized that the men were unwilling to revolt. Jean Lafitte was a Franco-American privateer captain and pirate of the Caribbean sea who operated off of Baratia Bay, Louisiana in the early 19th century. The couple had six children, including at least three daughters. The United States made the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. 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 smugglers wounded one of the officers and safely escaped with the contraband. On February 13, he escaped, likely with outside help. [55] Jackson responded, "I ask you, Louisianans, can we place any confidence in the honor of men who have courted an alliance with pirates and robbers? Rogers started his own pirate fleet in 1818. . [7] His elder brother Pierre became a privateer; he may have operated from Saint-Domingue, which frequently issued letters of marque. Merchants in New Orleans began to run out of goods to sell. Within weeks, Dorada captured a schooner loaded with goods valued at more than $9,000. Jean Lafitte was likely born in 1782, although he was not baptized until 1786. Louisiana planters had a hard time buying enough American-born slaves to work on their everexpanding sugar and cotton plantations. [88] In October or November 1821, Lafitte's ship was ambushed as he attempted to ransom a recent prize. Lafitte decided to warn American authorities and offered to help defend New Orleans in exchange for a pardon for his men. Was he a pirate, a patriot, or both? This has become the common spelling in the United States, including places named after him.[1]. New Orleans Jacques St. Germain, The Infamous Louisiana Vampire, Jean Lafitte: Mystery of the Unfound Treasure, History of the Louisiana Snowball and Its Flavors. He sold those at his location The Temple. The money that he sold them for was Spanish Coin, Reales usually in 2,4,8 denominations, minted in Mexico. Most of these battles took place at or near Chalmette Plantation, now Chalmette Battlefield and part of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. 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. 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]. [22] The Lafittes gained a reputation for treating captive crew members well and often returned captured ships to their original crew. [49] He sent a message to the Americans that few of his men favored helping the British but said he needed 15 days to review their offer. [33], Although under indictment, in March 1813 Lafitte registered as captain of Le Brig Goelette la Diligente for a supposed journey to New York. Very old 3 x 3 nches by 2 inches. Lafitte se rvla un alli prcieux pour les tats-Unis lors de la . below! These questions Jean Lafitte (c. 1780 - c. 1823) . The family thinks this could be a clue as to where the actual treasure is. Because of his track record and reputation, Jean Lafitte was still seen as a criminal in the eyes of the United States. There is no . They were tried for piracy, and found guilty. "[100] Given his legendary reputation, there was much speculation about whether, or how, Lafitte had died. [62], Patterson praised the Barataria men who served on one of the US Navy ships, and whose skill with artillery was greater than their British counterparts. Experts with . [4] He notes that still other contemporary accounts claim that Lafitte was born in Ordua, Spain, or in Westchester County, New York, north of Manhattan. [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. [20] As the schooner did not have an official commission from a national government, its captain was considered a pirate operating illegally. Jean Lafitte's fabeled ship, The Pride, sunk well over a hundred years ago. According to Ramsay, Lafitte, his elder brother Pierre, and his widowed mother migrated from Saint-Domingue to New Orleans in the 1780s. [16] Barataria was far from the US naval base, and ships could easily smuggle in goods without being noticed by customs officials. 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. When they had disembarked and were surrounded by his men, Lafitte identified himself to them. Lafittes image changed from pirate to patriot during the War of 1812. My grandfathers mother lived next to his mother and we were told of the storys on where some was at. Lafitte, a one-time resident of Louisiana and privateer, is believed by some to