Lafitte (or Lafitte, Lafitte) Jean
(circa 1776 - after 1823)

The famous French privateer and smuggler who, with the tacit approval of the American government, robbed English and Spanish ships in the Gulf of Mexico. The heyday of his "enterprise" came in the 1810s.

IN early XIX century in the area caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, the most common were French privateers. After the French possession of the Caribbean in 1810, privateers operating under the French flag lost the ports to which they delivered booty. However, a new opportunity soon opened up for the pirates. The province of Cartagena, part of what is now Colombia, declared independence from Spain and was at enmity with it. Pirates received in the port of Cartagena the same letters of marque that they previously had from France. The smuggled goods they looted poured into the New Orleans area. By 1811, Jean Laffite became the actual leader and organizer of the baratarian privateers. The further history developed in such a way that the same Jean Laffite became the hero of the United States in their struggle for New Orleans.

Everyone in New Orleans knew Jean Laffite, but few knew that he was a Jew, or rather, a descendant of marans. The history of the Laffites began in medieval Spain, when Jews were evicted from this country at the end of the 15th century. They were offered to either accept Christianity or leave the country. Many Spanish Jews were baptized, came to Christianity, and their descendants finally broke with Judaism. But there were those who, having gone through the rite of baptism, continued to secretly profess Judaism. The Spaniards contemptuously called them marans (from the Spanish marrano - pig). To preserve the Jewish faith, the Marans entered into marriage with people of their own circle. When the Inquisition began rampant in Europe, which persecuted Christians for heresy (by the way, the Inquisition left the Jews who openly followed Judaism alone), the marans were under its close attention. Since they posed as Christians, the secret observance of Jewish rituals, the main of which was the observance of the Sabbath, was interpreted by the Inquisition as apostasy. Jean Laffite's parents had eight children. Since Jean's mother died early, the children were brought up by their grandmother Zora, who came from marans. In Spain, the grandfather Aborad Nadrimal, Zora's husband, died at the hands of the Inquisition. Grandma was an educated person and tried to give grandchildren a good education. In Zora's memory, family stories about the persecution of marans, passed down from generation to generation, have been preserved. Grandmother said that in 1765 they fled to France to escape the Inquisition. From her stories, Jean Laffitte took in the hatred of Spain. He will write later: “My grandfather was a free-thinking Jew. He was not a believing Catholic and was not associated with a traditional Jewish synagogue. But this did not save him from death from starvation in prison, where he was imprisoned for refusing to disclose the details of his life that the authorities of the Inquisition demanded from the Jews.

In the second half of the 18th century, the Laffite family lived on the island of Haiti, where Jean was born in 1782. Then they moved to French Martinique. It was here that Jean mastered the art of swordsmanship. Everyone who knew Jean said that he was handsome and elegant, always impeccably dressed, in a word, “gentleman”. People who later communicated closely with him noted that he was fluent in four European languages. Meanwhile, Dominique, Jean's older brother, became a privateer. Although Zora's grandmother dreamed that Jean would devote his life to writing, he followed the path of his brother, "picked up the sword" and received a letter of marque from the French authorities. His brother Pierre, who was two years older than Jean, went the same way. The brothers thus acquired the right, under the French flag, to "legitimately" seize Spanish booty, including slaves.

Already in these years, the leadership qualities of the youngest of the Laffit brothers appeared. Jean Laffite made his first capture of a Spanish ship in 1801, at the age of 19. After four years of successful piracy, Jean Laffite loaded his family and considerable property on a ship and headed to France, where he wanted to settle "like a gentleman." But along the way they were overtaken by a Spanish warship. The Spaniards took away the property and landed the Laffites on some island. By chance, an American schooner picked up the family and delivered them to New Orleans. Jean was poor. Soon his wife died. Shortly before this, a ship under the command of Pierre Laffite arrived in New Orleans. The customs authorities accused him of smuggling (I think not without reason) and confiscated the ship along with the cargo. The impoverished Pierre was reunited with his brother. They managed to get a job at the customs of the city (they already knew the intricacies of the smuggling business in detail). In 1806, Jean Laffite wrote: “I met several people as desperate and poor as I am. We bought a schooner and declared war on Spain. As long as I live, I will fight with Spain, and only with it. I am at peace with everyone except Spain." Then the Laffite brothers went to Cartagena and received a letter of marque there.

Returning to the Gulf of Mexico, they began "right and left" to rob Spanish ships and a short time captured a dozen and a half ships, concentrating them at the Barataria base. In a short time, the value of goods belonging to Laffitte and stored on the island of Grande Terre reached a million dollars.

After the enactment of the Embargo Act by Jefferson (1807), the Lafittes moved their activities to Barataria Bay off the coast of Louisiana, where up to a thousand people served under their command. The Luffites carried out illegal deliveries of slaves to the southern states of the United States. It seemed that the success of the Baratarians was assured for a long time, but the authorities and Governor Claiborne moved to drastic measures. The fact is that the frequent seizures of Spanish ships caused numerous complaints from the Spanish consul in New Orleans. As a result, in November 1812, a detachment was sent to the Barataria Bay area to suppress smuggling activities. american army. The Americans captured a group of pirates, including Jean and Pierre Laffite. Jean was immediately released on bail, while Pierre remained in prison. During the year, Jean was summoned to court three times, but he did not appear. Then, in November 1813, the governor of New Orleans distributed announcements throughout the city in which a reward of $ 750 was announced for the extradition of Laffite. Two days later, a new announcement was circulated, in which Laffitte now promised $1,500 for the delivery of the governor to the island of Grande Terre, that is, to the main pirate island. By such behavior, he demonstrated his strength and influence.

During 1813, the British, who were at war with the United States, also tried several times to capture the Barataria region, but the privateers were better armed and the British retreated. In the early morning of September 3, 1814, the baratarians on Grande Terre were awakened by cannon fire. Two hundred pirates ran ashore. They saw a British ship approaching, unnoticed by the American navy. It was an English brig from a flotilla stationed in the port of Pensacola. Jean Laffitte came out to meet the British on a boat. The British also launched a sloop. The officer handed Jean a package. Jean invited the officer to his residence and opened the package, which contained two letters. The first called for the people of Louisiana to cooperate with Britain. As a reward for their help in this fight, they were promised vacant lands to be taken from the United States. Another letter was addressed personally to Jean Laffite. The British threatened to destroy the base if the privateers did not help them against the United States. Laffitte was offered a one-time reward of $30,000 and a captaincy in the British Navy with a corresponding salary, and all members of his pirate crew - service in the British army. In exchange for all this, Laffite was to lead the British troops from Barataria Bay to New Orleans.

Laffite pretended to accept the British offer, but asked for two weeks to settle his affairs. He allegedly needed to consult with his captains. As soon as the brig left the island of Grande Terre, Laffite sent a trusted assistant to New Orleans in order to warn the governor of the impending British attack. Laffitte also suggested that he, at the head of his team of filibusters, stand up for the defense of the city, provided that he was forgiven for his past sins. It is possible that he took the side of America because behind England, which was at war against the United States, was Spain, which he hated. The information was immediately passed on to Governor Claiborne. The governor did not take responsibility for making such an important decision and posed two questions before the state legislative committee: whether the letters received were reliable and whether it was appropriate for the governor to enter into negotiations with the pirate Jean Laffite and his colleagues. In the course of the discussion, the chief of militia of the state, in particular, said: “The Baratarians are not pirates, but privateers. They operate under the flag of Cartagena and therefore can legally deliver captured goods only there, and not to our ports. The only thing they can be accused of is that they illegally sell goods from us. The United States is resigned to having these people on our soil. The privateers see that we are threatened by an enemy they also hate. We have to trust the Baratarians."

Despite this opinion, the committee decided by a majority to destroy the base on the island of Grande Terre, for which a detachment of warships was sent there. By this time, Jean and Pierre (who managed to escape from prison) Laffitte began to think over a plan of action depending on which ships, British or American, would appear first. Jean ordered his subordinates, in the event of the arrival of the Americans, not to resist and leave the base untouched. Each filibuster was given "freedom", that is, he could go anywhere. As for the property of each of them, Laffitte hoped for its legalization and safety, since he considered his people not pirates, but privateers. He ordered the transfer of weapons and ammunition from the island of Grand Terre to another base. The slaves were transported somewhere else. The most valuable things, important papers, maps and money were dispersed on several ships belonging to the Luffites. Shortly before the expiration of the two-week deadline set by the British, these ships left for a small island 40 miles west of Grande Terre.

Dominic, one of Jean's brothers, was left on Grande Terre to burn the warehouses with the remaining goods when the British appeared. When Dominic saw the approaching American, not British, ships, he did not dare to open fire on the flag of the United States, but set fire to warehouses and part of his ships. Five hundred Baratarians managed to escape before the Americans landed on the island. Dominic and 80 Baratarians were arrested and imprisoned. They were soon released. Goods that the Americans managed to save from the fire, according to different sources were estimated at 500-600 thousand dollars.

Shortly after the defeat of the Barataria base, the governor of Louisiana and military leaders received information confirming the advance of the British. As Laffitte, whose message had previously been ignored, had warned, the British fleet was indeed heading for the Louisiana coast and preparing to advance on New Orleans. The British were forced to advance on the city from the east, and not the shortest way through the Baratarian Gulf, because, having not received help from Laffite, they were afraid to make their own way from the south through unexplored water channels. Already with this, Jean Laffitte and his Baratarians were of great help to the Americans. A glance at the map suggests that if Laffite had helped the British pass through Baratarian Bay, they would have cut off New Orleans from the interior of the country and no one knows how it would have ended.

To lead the defense of New Orleans, General Andrew Jackson, the future president of the country, arrived here in early December 1814. Help was nowhere to be found. The defenders of the city had no troops, no artillery, no ammunition. Jackson at first considered Jean Laffitte and his "associates" to be "thugs". Then, driven by his inherent frontier flair, he appreciated the urgency of the moment and approved of the Governor's proposal to free Dominique Laffitte and the other Baratarians to take up positions near the artillery pieces, for the first time in their lives not on ships, but on solid ground. Other baratarians who knew how to handle naval artillery were included in the crews of ships. Jean Laffite had also arrived in the city by this time. Not far from New Orleans, a huge amount of gunpowder was stored in his warehouses. He did not exaggerate when he said that he could provide ammunition for an army of 30,000 soldiers. Such was the scope of this man's activity. Laffitte placed at Jackson's disposal the guns and ammunition that the city's defenses so badly needed. The Baratarians supplied the New Orleans with gunpowder, guns and flints for them, and shells of various types. Every combat-ready resident received a weapon. Jean Laffite, who was well versed in navigating the intricate mouth of the Mississippi, became Jackson's closest adviser.

Sending Laffite to the officer commanding the defense of the base in the Barataria Strait, Jackson wrote: “The bearer of this, Mr. Jean Laffite, will present you with much important and valuable information. Send him back as soon as possible. I need him here." Pierre Laffitte, who had made available to the Americans the merchandise of his store, seized as a result of pirate raids, also became Jackson's liaison officer. The defense of New Orleans lasted several weeks and the city held out. Some historians argue that the defense would not have been possible without smugglers and privateers. General Andrew Jackson and pirate Jean Laffite were hailed as heroes. The merits of the Jean brothers were also highly appreciated. Jackson met the troops returning to the city. He welcomed each detachment separately, and about the baratarians, in particular, he said: “The Laffite brothers showed courage and loyalty to duty. I promise that the government will appreciate their leadership.” General Jackson and the Louisiana legislature petitioned the country's president for the full rehabilitation of the Baratarians. President James Madison not only agreed to the rehabilitation, but even suggested that all lawsuits and charges against them be dropped. In February 1815, he signed an amnesty decree for Jean Laffite and his filibusters. All Baratarians were granted United States citizenship. Many of them then took up peaceful fishing.

After the defense of New Orleans, Jean Laffite had to sue the American authorities, demanding the return of property confiscated during the liquidation of the Barataria base. Laffite's claims were based on the fact that the President of the United States exonerated him in part of his past piracy. But the authorities believed that Laffitte had lost the right to the confiscated contraband property, since, according to American laws, a quarter of the value of this property was distributed as a reward among the customs and coast guard officers who took part in the confiscation, and the remaining three-quarters were transferred to the country's budget. . Laffite appealed to the president for support, but received no response. The legal battle was not successful, and the Laffittes and his team were faced with the question of "how to live on."

Bearing in mind the recognition of merit in the defense of New Orleans and the image of the hero that has developed around Jean Laffite in the city, he could successfully go into business or even actively political activities high level. Any aristocratic family would consider it an honor to intermarry with such a suitor. But if Laffitte had gone that route, it wouldn't have been Laffitte. He was pulled by other horizons.

At this time, in the colonial possessions of Spain, which included present-day Mexico and Texas, the national liberation movement intensified, which later, in 1821, ended with the proclamation of Mexican independence. In the meantime, in September 1816, in addition to fighting on land, the Mexican Republicans hired the Frenchman Louis Auri to start a war with the Spanish at sea. Galveston Island in what is now Texas was used as a base. The Republicans appointed Auri "commander navy Republic of Mexico". This fleet of 13-15 small ships anchored off the island, and Auri became governor of Texas and Galveston. Galveston was proclaimed part of the Republic of Mexico. Auri recruited more than 500 pirates, who literally paralyzed the activities of the Spanish commercial fleet. Galveston Island also became the base of another group of Mexican revolutionaries, led by Xavier Mina, who landed here in November 1816. As a first step towards the liberation of Mexico, a plan was considered to combine the efforts of the two groups to capture the port of Pensacola, which was owned by Spain.

But from the very beginning, Auri and Mina did not get along with each other and the plan turned out to be unrealistic. And while these "leaders" bickered, the so-called "Republican Liberation Army", led by Mina, was defeated, Mina was captured and executed. When Auri and his fleet arrived at Galveston in early May 1817, it turned out that none other than Jean Laffitte and his crew became the master of the island. What preceded this? There were many legends about this. The reality was revealed already in our time, when documents were found in the previously secret archives of Spain that the chief military engineer of the defense of New Orleans, the Frenchman Latour, was an informant agent for Spain. He drew up a plan to solve the problem of combating the Auri pirates operating in the Gulf of Mexico. It turned out that Jean and Pierre Laffite were also Spanish agents and implementers of this plan. They received large rewards from the Spanish intelligence resident in New Orleans. Even the codes under which the Laffite brothers were registered with the Spanish special services became known. Thanks to Jean's audacity and his ability to play a double game, he outwitted everyone: the Spanish consul in New Orleans, the Spanish intelligence resident in New Orleans, the Spanish governor general of Cuba, the government and the king of Spain.

The King of Spain ordered the Governor General of Cuba to put an end to the pirates of the Gulf of Mexico. Since the order was not backed up by naval power, the governor general asked for help from the consul in New Orleans. He, after conferring with the resident of Spanish intelligence, who by that time had a large list of agents, including the Laffite brothers, pointed to Jean as the executor of this difficult task. Laffite, who had been looking at Spanish gold for a long time, immediately set to work. He went to the corsairs' lair on Galveston Island to determine their strength and devise a plan to rid the bay of his rivals. He met Auri and the then-alive Mina. He managed to negotiate with them. Auri left the island, and Laffite established his residence here and formed a leading group. He returned to New Orleans and reported everything to the Spanish consul. In his report to the Governor-General of Cuba, the consul praised the activities of the Laffites for the benefit of Spain.

So, when at the beginning of May 1817 Auri arrived on the island, he found a new "leadership" on it. Auri, naturally, was not eager to give up his "rights" to a leading role in piracy in the Gulf, but decided that with the Mexican freedom movement he is no longer on the path. He left Galveston. Although Laffite's headquarters on the island did not have the legitimacy that Auri had, having received his post from the official representation of the Mexican Republicans, word of Laffite's return to the field of piracy quickly spread. The base began to grow rapidly and by the end of 1817 its permanent "staff" consisted of a thousand people. Laffite gave the appearance of "honest business" and received rewards from the colonies that rebelled against Spain. Although he and his "colleagues" claimed to be privateers, in fact they were outright pirates. Goods from captured Spanish ships were delivered to the island, local merchants came for them. As before, the most profitable "commodity" was slaves. Spanish commerce suffered ten times more from piracy than any other country in the region. Washington also received complaints about the actions of pirates.

Laffitte deftly played on the fact that both Spain and the United States claimed Galveston Island. Under these conditions, the Spanish authorities understood that if the Americans had made efforts to eliminate the Laffitte base, then the island would then have passed into the full possession of the United States. Thus, in these events, Jean Laffite showed his extraordinary qualities as a clever, but not always highly moral politician and inventive businessman. At the end of the summer of 1818, the official representative of the President of the United States invited Jean Laffite to leave Galveston Island. This demand was based on the fact that the island became part of the territory received by the United States as a result of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, and the American government no longer wanted to tolerate the pirate base. Laffitte ignored the president's demand, erected new buildings and increased the number of staff. His ships sailed under the flag of the "Republic of Mexico", and he was appointed by this unrecognized republic as the governor of Galveston. At the same time, he pretended to serve Spain as her secret agent. He also managed to receive support from the Governor-General of Cuba, who in writing, on behalf of the royal government, appointed him governor of the island.

In the summer of 1819, the Americans created the so-called Texas Liberation Army. The commander of this army sent representatives to Laffitte, who proposed joint action to him. Jean answered evasively, although he recalled that he had been fighting against royal Spain for eight years. At the same time, as shown by the letters found in the archives of the Governor-General of Cuba, he communicated with officers of the Spanish "special services".

Galveston continued to prosper, but the Laffitte brothers sensed the end was near, so they set up additional warehouses in the United States, away from the Gulf Coast. Here they kept the goods stolen from the Spanish ships, as well as gold and jewelry. In the early hours of January 1821, an American warship approached Galveston Island. Jean Laffitte was given an ultimatum: the pirate base must disappear, the houses must be destroyed, the ships must leave the harbor, and Laffitte must leave the island. This took 60 days. During this time, Jean had to take out the stolen goods, pay off people, settle financial affairs, take care of the subsequent fate of the captains. On Saturday, March 3, 1821, an American ship returned and watched as pirate ships one by one disappeared into the blue-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Jean Laffite went ashore from the last ship. He set fire to the buildings of the base, including his luxurious villa, returned to the ship and, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, "went to the legendary pirate kingdom, from where he had come long before."

The fate of Jean Laffite after he left Galveston Island has been the subject of many legends for decades, one more mysterious than the other. The fact is that there were no documentary materials about him. Even the name of the ship on which Laffitte left Galveston Island in front of American sailors does not subsequently appear in any of the port records. Data about recent years Jean's life and activities are so uncertain that there are doubts whether he was alive during these years at all. Legends are known about the countless treasures of the Laffites, hidden under water and on land. The mystery is the circumstances of Jean's death, which may have taken place in 1825 or 1826, when, according to one of the versions, he was killed in a pirate fight and buried in the sea according to marine custom. It is noteworthy that after these years, pirate robberies in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico almost completely stopped. Another version is that Jean Laffite lived for more than thirty years in various places in the USA, not necessarily under his own name, and died in 1854. In the years 1845-1850, he allegedly wrote memoirs in French, which were not supposed to be published for 107 years.

After 107 years, Jean's direct heir, his great-grandson, John Laffite in 1958 published in New York English translation memoirs of Jean, "The Journal of Jean Laffite". The memoirs read like a fascinating detective story. In his memoirs, he writes about a visit to Europe in 1847, where he met several times with Marx and Engels. Jean gave Marx a text describing the relationships he, Laffitte, had established in the pirate communities at the Barataria and Galveston bases. Marx suggested that Laffite, on his return to America, deliver the text of the Communist Manifesto to Abraham Lincoln, then Senator from Illinois. There is confirmation that Lincoln received this text. In his memoirs, Jean's entry is dated February 1849: “I opened a bank account in Paris to finance two young people, Marx and Engels, to help them in the work of making a revolution by the workers of the whole world. I hope they new doctrine and the manifesto will lead to the overthrow of the government of England, because Spain is already weak. I have always taken satisfaction in supporting any cause of the struggle for freedom." And this despite the fact that three decades before that, Jean Laffite was engaged in the slave trade! The authenticity of memoirs and other documents about the last years of Laffite's life is questioned. An examination of the manuscript of memoirs was carried out, which showed that it was written on paper made in the middle of the 19th century. Chemical analysis of the ink confirms their belonging to the same time. However, great uncertainty arises when trying to meaningfully analyze the text. There is even a version that they were written by a man who was under the manic influence of the extraordinary personality of Laffitte...

As for the Jean brothers, the fate of Pierre is also not very clear. There is a version that he died somewhere in the forests in Mexico. According to another version, he died in 1844 in a small town in Missouri and was buried in St. Louis. It is known about Dominic that he sailed several times to his brothers at the Galveston base, returned to New Orleans, showed himself as an American patriot. He died in 1830 and was buried with military honors.

America, American Pirate, 1782 - 1826

He was a descendant of the Marranos (forcibly baptized Spanish Jews). Jean's parents had 8 children. Their mother died early and they were raised by their grandmother Zora, whose husband died in the prison of the Inquisition. She was an intelligent, educated woman and tried to give her children a good upbringing. Almost all of them were fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, French, English and Italian . In 1765, fleeing the Inquisition, she fled to France with her children, then moved to Haiti, where Jean was born. He was handsome, elegant, brave, well dressed and well wielded weapons. From the French authorities received a letter of marque. He made his first capture of a Spanish ship at the age of 19. His older brothers Pierre and Domenique also chose the path of piracy, but Jean was always the ringleader. After 4 years of piracy, he got married and decided to end this dangerous, albeit profitable business. Together with his family, he boarded a ship and went to France, but on the way he was captured by a Spanish military galleon. All his wealth was taken away from him, and he himself was landed on a desert island. Fortunately, an American schooner happened to be there, which brought him to New Orleans impoverished, but full of hatred for the Spaniards. Together with his brothers and a few like-minded people, Jean bought a schooner and began robbing Spanish ships in the Gulf of Mexico. Soon he already had a flotilla of 10 ships. On the island of Grande Terre, the pirates set up a base that employed 3,000 people, unloading and storing looted and smuggled goods and arranging slave auctions. The influence of the Laffites was so great that when the governor of New Orleans announced a $500 reward for the capture of Jean, he issued a counteroffer of $5,000 to anyone who would deliver the governor to the Barateria pirate base. The British also tried to deal with the pirates. When they failed, they offered Lafitte a large bounty and the rank of an officer in the British Navy for help in fighting the US. (The war between England and the United States lasted until 1815). Jean asked for two weeks for reflection, and he himself suggested that the US authorities take the lead of filibusters in defense of New Orleans, provided that the authorities forgive them their previous sins. However, the Americans did not believe the pirate. They attacked the Barataria base and destroyed it. But when an English squadron of 50 ships with three thousand soldiers approached and there was a real threat of capturing New Orleans, they changed their anger for mercy and allowed filibusters to defend the city. The pirates had a huge amount of weapons and ammunition, and many historians believe that it was the participation of Jean Lafitte's detachment that was the main factor in the victory of the Americans. Jean became a national hero. US President James Madison signed a decree on a complete amnesty and rehabilitation of filibusters and all 3 Lafittes. All of them were granted US citizenship. But, having no other means of subsistence and thanks to his adventurous nature, Jean continued to lead the life of a pirate. Moreover, taking advantage of the anti-Spanish uprising in Mexico, he captured the city of Galveston in Texas, burned it to the ground, and then founded a pirate state on the island in 1817 - a commune that lasted until 1821. When the American government was tired of the Spaniards' complaints about piracy and smuggling operations of the inhabitants of this state, it sent a military schooner to the shores of Galveston and demanded that the island be cleared within 2 months. The pirates fled in all directions. Jean Lafitte set fire to the village and left it last, as befits a captain. It is believed that he hid innumerable treasures in various places. For some time he continued to piracy in the Gulf of Mexico. According to one version, he died in a pirate battle in 1825 or 1826. But there is another version, which is much more interesting than the first. According to this version, he did not die, but after the destruction of his kingdom, he settled in the States. In June 1831, under the name of George Laughlin, he married the daughter of a wealthy merchant and settled in St. Louis. Takes part in the transfer of runaway slaves to the North, then moves to Illinois. He writes memoirs, which he bequeaths to be published only after 107 years. They seem to contain a record that he was acquainted with Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, met with them and, while in Europe, opened an account in a Paris bank to finance ... these two young people in order to help them achieve revolution by the workers of the world.

The prominent American economist Anthony Sutton, in his book The Power of the Dollar, writes about this as a proven fact, based on a letter that Jean Laffite wrote to his friend the artist Frank on September 29, 1847 from Brussels to St. Louis. In this letter, Laffite reports on the financial assistance he provided to Marx and Engels. Marx, according to this version, gave a copy of the Communist Manifesto through Laffite to Abraham Lincoln, who was then a senator.
The former slave trader, pirate and smuggler became the guardian of the world revolution. According to this version, he died in 1854, having caught a cold while meeting a batch of runaway slaves transported from the South. A fishing village in the vicinity of New Orleans and a National Historical Park and Preserve in the same place are named after Jean Laffite. In 1961, the Haiti Post issued a series of stamps dedicated to pirates, which of course also applies to Lafitte.

(1782-1854) Jean Lafitte - the most famous french pirate who operated in the Gulf of Mexico in the early 19th century. He left a bright mark in the history of New Orleans. Born in Porto Prince on the island of Haiti in 1782. His father was the tanner Marius Lafitte, his mother was the Spanish Jewess Zora Nadrimal. Jean was the youngest of eight children in the family. At the age of 17, he married Christina Levin, who lived in Danish possessions in the Antilles, and she bore him a daughter (Christina soon died of postpartum rubella on board a ship sailing from Haiti to New Orleans).

In 1803, Jean Lafitte and his older brother Pierre equipped the brig "Sweet Sister" in Haiti, purchased a letter of marque from the governor of Martinique to attack English ships and launched corsair operations in the Caribbean. Corsairism they combined with outright piracy, slave trade and smuggling. In the Yucatan Strait, the brothers captured the English ship Active, renamed the Ector, and in March 1804 intercepted the American sailing ship Mary, heading from Havana to Charleston. In April of the same year, Lafitte brought their prizes to New Orleans, presenting false documents on them (“Mary” was presented as the Spanish merchant ship “Santa Maria”). In early 1805, the Lafitte brothers opened their forge in the center of New Orleans on Bourbon Street, which served as a front for their smuggling deals. The following year, they acquired a patent for the right to the slave trade, without ceasing, however, to engage in the smuggling of black slaves.

In subsequent years, Jean Lafitte founded a secret pirate haven in the Mississippi Delta, on the islands of Barataria Bay. In 1811, he already had a whole flotilla of pirate ships that traded in the waters of the West Indies. Chosen as the boss, that is, the owner, he immediately provided all the captains of Barataria with letters of marque from the anti-Spanish authorities of Cartagena (Colombia), thereby legalizing the community of adventurers. The pirate flotilla included the Mizer and Dorada ships under the command of Jean Lafitte himself; "Petit Milan" by Captain Gambi; "Spy" of Captain René Beluche, Lafitte's uncle; Sensi Jack by Captain Pierre Sicard and Victory by Captain Francois Sapia.

In November 1812, the authorities of New Orleans organized a raid in Barataria, Jean and Pierre Lafitte and 24 filibusters were arrested and thrown into the dungeons of the Calabus fortress. But a few weeks later, the Lafittes were released on bail. No charges were brought against them.

In the spring of 1813, at the urging of District Attorney John Randolph Grimes, Louisiana Governor William Claiborne agreed to indict the Lafitte brothers in state court, but they did not appear in the courtroom, hiding in their base in Barataria. Then the Governor on November 24 of that year announced a reward of $500 to anyone who would hand Jean Lafitte into the hands of the Sheriff of New Orleans or any other county. Two days later, a leaflet appeared in the city that read: “Jean Lafitte is offering a $5,000 reward to anyone who delivers Governor William C.S. Claiborne to him. Barataria, November 26, 1813. The pirate's answer to the governor amused the New Orleans.

On January 15, 1814, a massive sale of slaves and looted goods took place in Barataria. The customs department sent 12 soldiers, led by Lieutenant Stout, to confiscate illegal goods, but upon arrival at the scene, the detachment was attacked, Stout was killed, two soldiers were seriously wounded, the rest were taken prisoner and released a few days later.

Two months later, District Attorney Grimes reported to the state governor that over six months, pirates had brought $1 million worth of goods to the Barataria. At least one tenth of New Orleans' residents were involved in the illegal trade, and on some days as many as 500 New Orleans dealers in stolen goods would gather in the pirate lair.

In June 1814, a federal police vessel intercepted the ship of a Baratari nicknamed Gianni Firebeard, who robbed 2 Spanish ships. On July 18, Judge Hall notified Pierre Lafitte, who was arrested on the street, that Firebeard had named him, Lafitte, as his accomplice.

On September 3 of the same year, a British brig arrived in Barataria under the command of Captain Lockyer. The latter gave Jean Lafitte a letter from General Nichols, commander of the British troops in Florida. There was a war between Britain and the United States, and the British wanted to use Barataria's filibusters as pilots. Lafitte was offered the rank of captain of the 1st rank and 30 thousand dollars, but he refused to cooperate with the British, about which he notified the governor of Louisiana. The latter forgave the pirate for his past sins and turned a blind eye to the "unexpected" flight of Pierre Lafitte from the city prison. At the same time, Commodore of the American Navy Daniel T. Patterson, who was in New Orleans, and the commander of the 44th Infantry Regiment, Colonel T. Ross, having instructions from the Minister of the Navy to attack the pirate base in Barataria, on September 11 prepared a punitive expedition against filibusters. On September 16, American soldiers attacked Barataria, seized the cargo ships that were stationed there, and captured about 80 pirates, including Lafitte's older brother, Dominic, nicknamed Captain Domingo, as well as Rene Beluche. Barataria's fortifications were demolished, houses were destroyed.

On December 17, 1814, in connection with the threat of a British invasion of Louisiana, the commander of the military district, General Andrew Jackson, ordered the release of Baratari from prison who expressed a desire to fight against the British, and promised to submit a petition for pardon to the US President former pirates. On December 20, Jean Lafitte was personally introduced to General Jackson and during the conversation confirmed the desire of his people to help the American troops.

On December 23, the battle for New Orleans began. All attempts by the British to capture the city were repulsed, the Baratarians guarding Fort St. John on the northern outskirts showed incredible stamina and the ability to fire cannons. In early January 1815, the British retreated. General Jackson formally congratulated Captain Domingo and René Beluche, in command of the 3rd and 4th Batteries, and praised the "courage and loyalty" of the Lafitte brothers. In mid-March of the same year, a decree was delivered from Washington to New Orleans on the complete forgiveness of the Baratarians; The document was signed by US President James Madison and secretary of state. Although the Lafitte brothers received an amnesty, all their property was confiscated. To improve things, they decided to again engage in illegal trade - smuggling and piracy.

In early 1817, the Lafitte brothers agreed to become covert agents for Spanish intelligence, receiving the code numbers 13–1 (for Pierre) and 13–2 (for Jean). The Spanish authorities in Havana instructed them to infiltrate the environment of filibusters operating in the Gulf of Mexico, which they did in pursuit of their interests.

On March 23 of the same year, the brothers arrived on the schooner Carmelita to Galveston Island in Texas, where they negotiated with French corsair Louis d'Ory and the Mexican guerrilla Francisco Mina. On April 7, the flotillas d'Ory and Migny sailed from Galveston to liberate Mexico, and Jean Lafitte set about equipping his base on the island.

Louis d'Ory, having quarreled with Minya, returned to Galveston on May 4 and was surprised to see several dozen corsairs erecting houses and warehouses on the shore. Learning that he was no longer in command here, d'Ory went to other parts. Soon, veterans of the Barataria Gianni Firebeard, Vincent Gambi and Rene Belyush, who received a letter of marque from Simon Bolivar himself, settled on Galveston.

In the summer of 1818, the American Secretary of State presented a memorandum to President Monroe stating: “... since the territory between the Sabina and Rio Bravo rivers is Louisiana, Galveston belongs to us. An excellent opportunity to confirm our sovereignty would be to send an expedition against the Lafittes. Monroe wrote in the margin of the memorandum: “Agreed, but take it easy. Notify the Lafittes that they must leave." The order to clear the bay and Galveston Island was given to Jean Lafitte at the end of the summer by Colonel Graham. Lafitte pretended to submit, but in reality continued to use Galveston as his main base. In the spring of 1819, the Republican government of Mexico formally appointed him governor of the island.

On January 3, 1821, the American military schooner Enterprise arrived in Galveston under the command of Lieutenant Commander Kearney. The latter conveyed to Jean Lafitte the demand of the US government to liquidate the Galveston base. On March 2 of the same year, this ultimatum requirement was met.

Commanding a black schooner, Jean Lafitte continued to scour the expanses of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. His brother Pierre died off the Yucatán in November 1821. Jean, combining the smuggling trade of black slaves with sea robbery, twirled in Cuban waters until January 1822, when his ship was shot from cannons by an English warship. By swimming, he reached the Cuban coast, where, in the vicinity of the city of Santa Cruzdel Sur, he was captured by the Spanish guards. Jean Lafitte spent several weeks in the prison of the city of Puerto Princiggi (modern Camaguey), then he was transferred to the San Juande Dios hospital, from where he escaped on February 13 of the same year. The governor of Puerto Principe wrote on March 19 that Jean Lafitte was with a gang of pirates at the anchorage of Rincon Grande, one league from Viaro (on the north coast of Cuba). Apparently, for several years he continued to engage in the illegal slave trade, then his trace was lost.

According to some researchers, on June 7, 1832, under the name of John Laughlin, he married Emma Mortimer in Charleston. On April 4, 1834, their son Jules was born, and two years later, the second, named Glenn. In 1836, the couple settled on the banks of the Mississippi in St. Louis, where John Laughlin opened an office selling gunpowder. In 1848, Jean Lafitte - already under own name- made a trip to France, where he delivered a load of gunpowder for an “unknown buyer.” In the late 40s and early 50s of the 19th century, Jean Lafitte financed the publication of books and pamphlets by abolitionists (opponents of slavery), gave money to the fund of an organization that ransomed blacks slaves and their resettlement to the north of the USA. After the tragic death of his youngest son Glenn, he moved to the city of Alton (Illinois). Lafitte died on May 5, 1854 - after he caught a cold on the river. Mississippi, where in bad weather he met a secret transport with runaway slaves.

Great Definition

Incomplete definition ↓