LITR 4231 Early American Literature Research Posts 2014 (research post assignment) Research Post 1

Danielle Meza

26 March 2014

Jean Lafitte: Pirate or Patriot?

          Although many people know the names of a few pirates like Edward Teach “Blackbeard” or Barbarossa “Redbeard,” many do not actually know much about their actions or how they affected history other than by pirating. Jean Lafitte is one particular pirate who had an important effect on America as a nation. Although he did do many things of an illegal and immoral nature, I propose the question whether or not Lafitte should be considered a patriot for some of his actions.

          Due to the chaotic nature of piracy in the Galveston Gulf, Lafitte took it upon himself to create a society of rules and regulations for the pirates who inhabited the Gulf.  He created a refuge for them on the three islands that he inhabited.  Stolen or sold goods by pirates would no longer be allowed to be re-stolen by other pirates.  Lafitte kept a strict command of the pirates in order to unite them under one rule and maintain their own enterprise system.  Lafitte allowed pirates to bring their families or mistresses onto his islands. “Any man molesting an innocent women would be sent adrift” (Geringer, “Barataria”).  Lafitte also imposed reimbursement for sailors and their families for any loss of life or limb during piracy acts.  Lafitte imposed firm order on his island, and offenders would be severely punished.

It may be surprising to hear but Jean Lafitte “never attacked an American ship.” (Geringer, “Pirate and Patriot”).  He also would not tolerate anyone in his fleet to attack American ships either. Lafitte was actually a great supporter of the ideas and freedoms that America offered to its people.  He struggled with American law not for piracy, but because of the slave trade.  In 1808, America banned the importation of African slaves. Because many people in the south preferred their slaves from Africa, Lafitte hoped to grow rich from the slave trade.  It is for this reason that the Governor of Louisiana, William Claiborne, “offered five hundred dollars to anyone who delivered Jean Lafitte to the sheriff of New Orleans” (Cohen 165).  Lafitte in a cartoonish reprisal retaliated by offering double the amount to anyone who would deliver the Governor to Lafitte.

          The piracy acts of Lafitte caught the attention of Britain in 1814.  Lafitte was petitioned by a British Captain to help them offense an attack on New Orleans. Lafitte told the officer that he would need some time in order to consider the proposal.  Instead, he contacted the Governor of Louisiana and informed him of the impending attack.  Many individuals from the government refused to believe him. It was only because Andrew Jackson began to take Lafitte seriously that New Orleans began taking preparations for the defense of New Orleans.  One preparation being that Lafitte and his men would be “assigned a role in the defense of the city” in return for pardon for any previous crimes (Cohen 171).  Without the warning from Lafitte, New Orleans would have been caught off-guard and defenseless.

          Although his crimes of perpetuating the slave trade is unforgivable, it is for Lafitte’s service of warning the people of New Orleans that I propose that Lafitte should be considered a patriot.  Much of his actions are either forgotten or go untaught in schools.  Considering the importance of New Orleans to America as a port in the 1800’s more people should know about his service to our country.  If Britain been successful during an attack on New Orleans, Britain would have held control on one of our most important ports.  Considering America was a newly founded country at this time the amount of destruction they could have caused us might have seriously damaged our country.

Works Cited

Cohen, Rich. “Pirate City.” Paris Review 201 (2012): 144-175. Academic Search Complete. Web 25 Mar. 2014

Geringer, Joseph. "Barataria." Crime Library, n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014. <http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/cops_others/lafitte/3.html>.

Geringer, Joseph. "Pirate and Patriot." Crime Library, n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014. <http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/cops_others/lafitte/1.html>.