Pirates & Shipwrecks · Privateer, 1810s
Jean Lafitte
Barataria Bay, Louisiana
What happened
By 1810 Jean Lafitte and his brother ran a successful smuggling base on an island in Barataria Bay, a maze of swamps and bayous south of New Orleans. In September 1814 a US naval force invaded the base and captured most of his fleet. Later, in return for a legal pardon, Lafitte and his fleet helped General Andrew Jackson defend New Orleans at the Battle of New Orleans.
Why it matters
Lafitte's story shows how smuggling thrived along the Gulf Coast after the United States began enforcing trade rules in 1808.
What came next
In 1817 Lafitte founded a new colony on Galveston Island, which he named Campeche.
Did you know?
Many Americans believed Lord Byron's 1814 poem The Corsair was based on Lafitte's life.
Timeline
- 1808The US government begins enforcing trade restrictions in Louisiana.
- By 1810The Lafitte brothers run a profitable smuggling base at Barataria.
- September 1814A US naval force invades the Barataria base.
- January 1815Lafitte's fleet helps defend New Orleans.
- 1817Lafitte founds a new colony on Galveston Island.