Pirates > Jean Lafitte
Jean Lafitte
Background
Jean Lafitte (1780 - 1823), also spelled Laffite was a famous 19th century French privateer. Born in Saint-Domingue or Basque-France he was known to have early as 1805 operated a warehouse out of New Orleans in American controlled Louisiana along with his brother Pierre Lafitte. When the United States government passed the Embargo Act of 1807 they moved to Barataria Bay and established a successful pirate haven there.
In September of 1814 a United States naval force invaded the bay and captured most of the pirate fleet. However, later in exchange for helping defend the fledgling United States against the invading British during the Battle of New Orleans in 1815 the pirates were granted a pardon. Following this during the Mexican War of Independence the Lafitte brothers became spies for the Spanish and established a new base of operations at a pirate haven called Campeche on Galveston Island. Lafitte would continue to be a pirate until he was killed trying to capture a ship in 1823.
Barataria Bay
See Barataria Bay
Galveston Island
See Galveston Island
