The Pirates Own Book (8 page)

As British vessels now traversed the Indian Ocean under strong convoys,
game became scarce, and Lafitte determined to visit France; and after
doubling the Cape of Good Hope, he coasted up to the Gulf of Guinea, and
in the Bight of Benin, took two valuable prizes loaded with gold dust,
ivory, and Palm Oil; with this booty he reached St. Maloes in safety.
After a short stay at his native place he fitted out a brigantine,
mounting twenty guns and one hundred and fifty men, and sailed for
Gaudaloupe; amongst the West India Islands, he made several valuable
prizes; but during his absence on a cruise the island having been taken
by the British, he proceeded to Carthagena, and from thence to
Barrataria. After this period, the conduct of Lafitte at Barrataria does
not appear to be characterized by the audacity and boldness of his
former career; but he had amassed immense sums of booty, and as he was
obliged to have dealings with the merchants of the United States, and
the West Indies, who frequently owed him large sums, and the cautious
dealings necessary to found and conduct a colony of Pirates and
Smugglers in the very teeth of a civilized nation, obliged Lafitte to
cloak as much as possible his real character.

As we have said before, at the period of the taking of Gaudaloupe by the
British, most of the privateers commissioned by the government of that
island, and which were then on a cruise, not being able to return to any
of the West India Islands, made for Barrataria, there to take in a
supply of water and provisions, recruit the health of their crews, and
dispose of their prizes, which could not be admitted into any of the
ports of the United States, we being at that time in peace with Great
Britain. Most of the commissions granted to privateers by the French
government at Gaudaloupe, having expired sometime after the declaration
of the independence of Carthagena, many of the privateers repaired to
that port, for the purpose of obtaining from the new government
commissions for cruising against Spanish vessels. Having duly obtained
their commissions, they in a manner blockaded for a long time all the
ports belonging to the royalists, and made numerous captives, which they
carried into Barrataria. Under this denomination is comprised part of
the coast of Louisiana to the west of the mouths of the Mississippi,
comprehended between Bastien bay on the east, and the mouths of the
river or bayou la Fourche on the west. Not far from the sea are lakes
called the great and little lakes of Barrataria, communicating with one
another by several large bayous with a great number of branches. There
is also the island of Barrataria, at the extremity of which is a place
called the Temple, which denomination it owes to several mounds of
shells thrown up there by the Indians. The name of Barrataria is also
given to a large basin which extends the whole length of the cypress
swamps, from the Gulf of Mexico to three miles above New Orleans. These
waters disembogue into the gulf by two entrances of the bayou
Barrataria, between which lies an island called Grand Terre, six miles
in length, and from two to three miles in breadth, running parallel
with the coast. In the western entrance is the great pass of Barrataria,
which has from nine to ten feet of water. Within this pass about two
leagues from the open sea, lies the only secure harbor on the coast, and
accordingly this was the harbor frequented by the
Pirates
, so well
known by the name of Barratarians.

At Grand Jerre, the privateers publicly made sale by auction, of the
cargoes of their prizes. From all parts of Lower Louisiana, people
resorted to Barrataria, without being at all solicitous to conceal the
object of their journey. The most respectable inhabitants of the state,
especially those living in the country, were in the habit of purchasing
smuggled goods coming from Barrataria.

The government of the United States sent an expedition under Commodore
Patterson, to disperse the settlement of marauders at Barrataria; the
following is an extract of his letter to the secretary of war.

Sir—I have the honor to inform you that I departed from this city on
the 11th June, accompanied by Col. Ross, with a detachment of seventy of
the 44th regiment of infantry. On the 12th, reached the schooner
Carolina, of Plaquemine, and formed a junction with the gun vessels at
the Balize on the 13th, sailed from the southwest pass on the evening of
the 15th, and at half past 8 o'clock, A.M. on the 16th, made the Island
of Barrataria, and discovered a number of vessels in the harbor, some of
which shewed Carthagenian colors. At 2 o'clock, perceived the pirates
forming their vessels, ten in number, including prizes, into a line of
battle near the entrance of the harbor, and making every preparation to
offer me battle. At 10 o'clock, wind light and variable, formed the
order of battle with six gun boats and the Sea Horse tender, mounting
one six pounder and fifteen men, and a launch mounting one twelve pound
carronade; the schooner Carolina, drawing too much water to cross the
bar. At half past 10 o'clock, perceived several smokes along the coasts
as signals, and at the same time a white flag hoisted on board a
schooner at the fort, an American flag at the mainmast head and a
Carthagenian flag (under which the pirates cruise) at her topping lift;
replied with a white flag at my main; at 11 o'clock, discovered that the
pirates had fired two of their best schooners; hauled down my white flag
and made the
signal for battle
; hoisting with a large white flag
bearing the words "Pardon for Deserters"; having heard there was a
number on shore from the army and navy. At a quarter past 11 o'clock,
two gun boats grounded and were passed agreeably to my previous orders,
by the other four which entered the harbor, manned by my barge and the
boats belonging to the grounded vessels, and proceeded in to my great
disappointment. I perceived that the pirates abandoned their vessels,
and were flying in all directions. I immediately sent the launch and two
barges with small boats in pursuit of them. At meridian, took possession
of all their vessels in the harbor consisting of six schooners and one
felucca, cruisers, and prizes of the pirates, one brig, a prize, and two
armed schooners under the Carthagenian flag, both in the line of battle,
with the armed vessels of the pirates, and apparently with an intention
to aid them in any resistance they might make against me, as their crews
were at quarters, tompions out of their guns, and matches lighted. Col.
Ross at the same time landed, and with his command took possession of
their establishment on shore, consisting of about forty houses of
different sizes, badly constructed, and thatched with palmetto leaves.

When I perceived the enemy forming their vessels into a line of battle I
felt confident from their number and very advantageous position, and
their number of men, that they would have fought me; their not doing so
I regret; for had they, I should have been enabled more effectually to
destroy or make prisoners of them and their leaders; but it is a
subject of great satisfaction to me, to have effected the object of my
enterprise, without the loss of a man.

The enemy had mounted on their vessels twenty pieces of cannon of
different calibre; and as I have since learnt, from eight hundred, to
one thousand men of all nations and colors.

Early in the morning of the 20th, the Carolina at anchor, about five
miles distant, made the signal of a "strange sail in sight to eastward";
immediately after she weighed anchor, and gave chase the strange sail,
standing for Grand Terre, with all sail; at half past 8 o'clock, the
chase hauled her wind off shore to escape; sent acting Lieut. Spedding
with four boats manned and armed to prevent her passing the harbor; at 9
o'clock A.M., the chase fired upon the Carolina, which was returned;
each vessel continued firing during the chase, when their long guns
could reach. At 10 o'clock, the chase grounded outside of the bar, at
which time the Carolina was from the shoalness of the water obliged to
haul her wind off shore and give up the chase; opened a fire upon the
chase across the island from the gun vessels. At half past 10 o'clock,
she hauled down her colors and was taken possession of. She proved to be
the armed schooner Gen. Boliver; by grounding she broke both her rudder
pintles and made water; took from her her armament, consisting of one
long brass eighteen pounder, one long brass six pounder, two twelve
pounders, small arms, &c., and twenty-one packages of dry goods. On the
afternoon of the 23d, got underway with the whole squadron, in all
seventeen vessels, but during the night one escaped, and the next day
arrived at New Orleans with my whole squadron.

At different times the English had sought to attack the pirates at
Barrataria, in hopes of taking their prizes, and even their armed
vessels. Of these attempts of the British, suffice it to instance that
of June 23d, 1813, when two privateers being at anchor off Cat Island, a
British sloop of war anchored at the entrance of the pass, and sent her
boats to endeavor to take the privateers; but they were repulsed with
considerable loss.

Such was the state of affairs, when on the 2d Sept., 1814, there
appeared an armed brig on the coast opposite the pass. She fired a gun
at a vessel about to enter, and forced her to run aground; she then
tacked and shortly after came to an anchor at the entrance of the pass.
It was not easy to understand the intentions of this vessel, who, having
commenced with hostilities on her first appearance now seemed to
announce an amicable disposition. Mr. Lafitte then went off in a boat to
examine her, venturing so far that he could not escape from the pinnace
sent from the brig, and making towards the shore, bearing British colors
and a flag of truce. In this pinnace were two naval officers. One was
Capt. Lockyer, commander of the brig. The first question they asked was,
where was Mr. Lafitte? he not choosing to make himself known to them,
replied that the person they inquired for was on shore. They then
delivered to him a packet directed to Mr. Lafitte, Barrataria,
requesting him to take particular care of it, and to deliver it into Mr.
Lafitte's hands. He prevailed on them to make for the shore, and as soon
as they got near enough to be in his power, he made himself known,
recommending to them at the same time to conceal the business on which
they had come. Upwards of two hundred persons lined the shore, and it
was a general cry amongst the crews of the privateers at Grand Terre,
that those British officers should be made prisoners and sent to New
Orleans as spies. It was with much difficulty that Lafitte dissuaded the
multitude from this intent, and led the officers in safety to his
dwelling. He thought very prudently that the papers contained in the
packet might be of importance towards the safety of the country and that
the officers if well watched could obtain no intelligence that might
turn to the detriment of Louisiana. He now examined the contents of the
packet, in which he found a proclamation addressed by Col. Edward
Nichalls, in the service of his Brittanic Majesty, and commander of the
land forces on the coast of Florida, to the inhabitants of Louisiana. A
letter from the same to Mr. Lafitte, the commander of Barrataria; an
official letter from the honorable W.H. Percy, captain of the sloop of
war Hermes, directed to Lafitte. When he had perused these letters,
Capt. Lockyer enlarged on the subject of them and proposed to him to
enter into the service of his Brittanic Majesty with the rank of post
captain and to receive the command of a 44 gun frigate. Also all those
under his command, or over whom he had sufficient influence. He was also
offered thirty thousand dollars, payable at Pensacola, and urged him not
to let slip this opportunity of acquiring fortune and consideration. On
Lafitte's requiring a few days to reflect upon these proposals, Capt.
Lockyer observed to him that no reflection could be necessary,
respecting proposals that obviously precluded hesitation, as he was a
Frenchman and proscribed by the American government. But to all his
splendid promises and daring insinuations, Lafitte replied that in a few
days he would give a final answer; his object in this procrastination
being to gain time to inform the officers of the state government of
this nefarious project. Having occasion to go to some distance for a
short time, the persons who had proposed to send the British officers
prisoners to New Orleans, went and seized them in his absence, and
confined both them and the crew of the pinnace, in a secure place,
leaving a guard at the door. The British officers sent for Lafitte; but
he, fearing an insurrection of the crews of the privateers, thought it
advisable not to see them until he had first persuaded their captains
and officers to desist from the measures on which they seemed bent. With
this view he represented to the latter that, besides the infamy that
would attach to them if they treated as prisoners people who had come
with a flag of truce, they would lose the opportunity of discovering the
projects of the British against Louisiana.

Early the next morning Lafitte caused them to be released from their
confinement and saw them safe on board their pinnace, apologizing the
detention. He now wrote to Capt. Lockyer the following letter.

To CAPTAIN LOCKYER.

Barrataria, 4th Sept
. 1814.

Sir—The confusion which prevailed in our camp yesterday and this
morning, and of which you have a complete knowledge, has prevented me
from answering in a precise manner to the object of your mission; nor
even at this moment can I give you all the satisfaction that you desire;
however, if you could grant me a fortnight, I would be entirely at your
disposal at the end of that time. This delay is indispensable to enable
me to put my affairs in order. You may communicate with me by sending a
boat to the eastern point of the pass, where I will be found. You have
inspired me with more confidence than the admiral, your superior
officer, could have done himself; with you alone, I wish to deal, and
from you also I will claim, in due time the reward of the services,
which I may render to you. Yours, &c.