Jean Laffite

Laffite (or Lafitte), Jean(1780?–1826?), a privateer, smuggler, and patriot. Well-educated, handsome Laffite was the last of the famed buccaneers who plundered shipping along the Spanish Main (coastal seaway of the Caribbean). He was born in France, but where is not known.

About 1809 Laffite came to New Orleans, Louisiana. He and his brother Pierre established a blacksmith shop and a store, which were actually receiving places for goods brought by smugglers. In 1810 Laffite moved to Grand Terre Island in Barataria Bay, near New Orleans. He was given a privateering commission by the Republic of Cartagena (now a part of Colombia) and operated a dozen vessels that preyed on Spanish and English commerce in the Gulf of Mexico. Goods and slaves were smuggled into New Orleans and sold by Laffite, in violation of American revenue laws.

In 1814, during the War of 1812, the British offered Laffite prize money and an officer's commission for aid in their planned attack on New Orleans. He skillfully pried information from them, then informed Louisiana's governor of the danger. Laffite offered to help defend the city if the United States would pardon him and his freebooters. General Andrew Jackson put them in charge of artillery in the Battle of New Orleans, 1815. They fought valiantly and President James Madison pardoned them.

Laffite, however, soon returned to privateering and in 1817, with 1,000 followers, built privateer headquarters on Galveston Island. Some of his officers, against his orders, looted United States ships. In 1821 a navy brig arrived to drive out Laffite. Without protest, he sailed away to the Spanish Main, where he disappeared.