Lafitte the Pirate

No fictional swashbuckler could ever rival Jean Lafitte's dramatic life. From his hidden base in the Louisiana swamps at Barataria Bay, Lafitte mounted daring raids on ships in the Gulf of Mexico. His battles with the law were the stuff of legend: when Governor Claiborne of Louisiana offered a reward for the buccaneer's capture, Lafitte responded with a bigger reward for the governor! But when the British asked for his help in their invasion of Louisiana during the War of 1812, the pirate instead joined forces with Andrew Jackson to win the Battle of New Orleans. Later, the brigand moved his operation to Galveston and harried Mexican vessels in support of the Texans seeking independence.

Lyle Saxon's superbly written account examines Lafitte's fascinating career, and frees the truth of the pirate's life from the web of fantastic myths which grew up around him. Did Lafitte participate in the French Revolution as a lad? What was his role in the plot to rescue Napoleon from his exile on St. Helena? And where is Lafitte's treasure hidden? Lafitte the Pirate is a classic work which will appeal to both adventure lovers and students of Louisiana history.