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The Battle of New Orleans January 8, 1815
As
communications and national maritime strength grew piracy withered. Still, as
late as 1813 three thousand acts of piracy were reported in the Gulf of Mexico.
It was not until 1850 that piracy finally disappeared from the Western
Hemisphere.
One of the greatest pirates of the
Gulf was Jean Lafitte. Jean Lafitte was born in France in the year 1780. He was
apprenticed as a blacksmith in his youth, a trade which he took up in New
Orleans when he and two of his brothers moved to America. Within a few years the
smithy had become a clearinghouse for pirate goods.
Lafitte decided to outfit his own
ships to bring in more goods. He established a base in Barrataria Bay outside
of New Orleans. Soon Lafitte's ships were cruising the coastline along the Gulf
of Mexico. Holding a privateer's commission from the Republic of Cartagena,
Lafitte preyed on Spanish commerce. The merchandise would then be smuggled into
New Orleans. All attempts to dislodge the pirates failed. The governor of
Louisiana offered the unheard of sum of $5,000 for the capture of Lafitte, dead
or alive. Lafitte responded by offering a $50,000 reward for the head of the
governor.
The War of 1812 placed Lafitte's
pirates in a tenuous position. The Barratarian gulf was an important approach
to New Orleans, and in 1814 the British offered Lafitte a huge cash settlement,
along with a commission in the Royal Navy for his cooperation in seizing the
city. Lafitte alerted American authorities and offered to aid the Americans if
the United States would offer a full pardon. General Andrew Jackson accepted
Lafitte's offer, and the pirates, in charge of the artillery, rendered
distinguished service in the battle of New Orleans. Lafitte and his men
received a full pardon, but Lafitte found that he could not endure the monotony
of a respectable life. In 1817, Lafitte, with a thousand followers, established
a new pirate stronghold on Galveston Island off the coast of Texas. Finally,
after several more years of piratical activities an American naval force
smashed Lafitte's base. Laffite fled to South America, finally returning to
Europe, where he died in 1826.
Most of the treasures hidden by
Lafitte are in Louisiana, although Florida and Texas claim their share as well.
Sun Tzu, the Master of War, once said,
“Those who are skilled in producing surprises will win. In conflict, surprise
will lead to victory. ” Here are four stories about the history of the world IF
wars we know about happened differently or IF wars that never happened actually
took place.
Including:
1.The Hostage, in which Abraham Lincoln is kidnapped by the rebels.
2.The German Invasion of America of 1889, in which Germany unexpectedly launches its might against the United States.
3.The Invasion of Canada 1933, in which the new American dictator launches a sneak attack on Canada.
4.Cherry Blossoms at Night: Japan Attacks the American Homeland (1942), in which Japan attacks the American homeland in a very surprising way.
1.The Hostage, in which Abraham Lincoln is kidnapped by the rebels.
2.The German Invasion of America of 1889, in which Germany unexpectedly launches its might against the United States.
3.The Invasion of Canada 1933, in which the new American dictator launches a sneak attack on Canada.
4.Cherry Blossoms at Night: Japan Attacks the American Homeland (1942), in which Japan attacks the American homeland in a very surprising way.
These are the often overlooked stories of early
America. Stories such as the roots of racism in America, famous murders that
rocked the colonies, the scandalous doings of some of the most famous of the
Founding Fathers, the first Emancipation Proclamation that got revoked, and
stories of several notorious generals who have been swept under history’s rug.
