Lafittes Shipwreck

[LVX]

Lafitte's Shipwreck

Hello all,

i am new to the list and wanted to see if anyone had any information about Jean Lafitte in Texas.

thanks

 

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[Mackaydon]

Re: Lafitte's Shipwreck

LVX:
First, Welcome to Treasure Net!!
I believe you quickly get hooked and stick around.
As to Lafitte's Shipwreck, that subject was discussed on TN in 2002; you'll find it here:

http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cach...itte's+Shipwreck&cd=10&hl=en&ct=clnk&ie=UTF-8
Don.....

 

[LVX]

Re: Lafitte's Shipwreck

There is only one quote there "Sept.12,1818 during a hurricane 4 of Jean Lafittes ships were wrecked on the northern tip of Galveston Island." That is not the location I was looking at. I am actually interested in his ship the "Pride."

Any info would be appreciated.

thanks

 

[Mackaydon]

Re: Lafitte's Shipwreck

"USS Enterprise was sent to remove Lafitte from Galveston Island, after some of his pirates attacked an American ship. But Lafitte decided to leave the island without any resisitence either in 1821 or 1822. He left aboard ‘The Pride’ and burnt his fortress and other buildings, while it is also speculated that he was accompanied by a great treasure."
Source: http://pirateshipwrecks.com/pirates/famous_louisiana-pirate_privateer_jean_lafitte

"In 1820, the capture of an American vessel in Matagorda Bay, coupled with the complaints of the Spanish minister in Washington, sealed Lafitte’s fate. The United States navy dispatched the brig Enterprise to evict the buccaneers from Galveston Island. After dining with Mrs. Jane Long aboard his flagship Pride, Lafitte sailed away into historical obscurity."
Source: http://www.wtblock.com/wtblockjr/History of Jefferson County/Chapter 4.htm

 

[Osiyo]

Lafitte , according to Brazoria County "records", wrecked a ship at the San Bernard River near Freeport and the mouth of the river. Supposedly the folks abandoned ship and buried their loot marking it with a brass stake.......all I know even after reading the entire account

 

[ARC]

he buried a bunch of chests off old Clearwater bay on a bluff.....yet to be found.

 

[Robot]

My "Tale" of "Jean Lafitte" (Reposted)

My tale of Jean Laffite happened 35 years ago while I was living in the port town of Progreso in the Yucatan Peninsula.
I had family connections in the Mexican Government and was studying Archaeology of the ancient Mayans, more precisely ancient Mayan Cenotes (wells) and the ritual of tossing in of gold for the appeasement to their Gods.
The American mid-19th century John Stephens had dredged the Cenote at Chichen Itza and recovered $2 million in gold and this find was foremost in my mind.
I had located other isolated Cenotes and wished to treasure hunt the same. (another story).

The Mexican government loaned me their helicopter to research the Gulf of Mexico from Merida up to the Rio la Gatos.
We set down in between at Dzilam De Bravo where I heard the most interesting tale of Jean Laffite.
It was here at a grave that the locals told me the story that in the early 1800's Jean had arrived by his ship, deathly ill, seeking help.
I was told by the old ones that he was sick and trying to get to Merida for medical help but died on route.
He died at Dzilam De Bravo and was buried there and the locals were proud to show me where his grave was located.
It was always curious to me why this location and what he may have been doing in this remote part of the world?
The best I could surmise is that he was driven out of America once his usefulness was achieved and was searching for a location to conceal his treasure still close to his American routes.
At Progreso, I inquired from the locals and the secret was of an island just 17 kilometers from Progreso (on the map) where when fisherman did risk going there Spanish coins were found on the beach.
At that time I heard the Mexican Government declared this island to be off limits to all.
To this date I always thought of boating out to this island for a pick nick.


A statue dedicated to the pirate Jean Lafitte can be found next to the water by the fishing boats
In February 1823, the infamous pirate Jean Lafitte, severely wounded from an encounter with Spanish warships, sailed his schooner General Santander westward from the coast of Cuba into oblivion. Lafitte’s fate has remained a mystery for 183 years. Historians and his biographers have offered different theories. Some believe he died of his wounds and was buried on Isla Mujeres, Yucatan’s Isle of Women. Others believe he was buried at Dzilam De Bravo and a monument was erected to mark the site after a hurricane washed the original grave into the sea. Some more fanciful theories are that he recovered from his wounds and sailed to the Mediterranean where he succeeded in rescuing Napoleon Bonaparte from St. Helena. There are many theories. But the one that seems to have the most credence is the one passed down as fact over the generations by the families of Dzilam De Bravo. According to oral history, the dying Lafitte was brought ashore by his brother Philipe and his daughter Lucia. When Jean died, he was buried in the local churchyard. Lucia remained in the village, was adopted by Inez Estrada Cedil, was later married, and the blue-eyed dynasty was begun.

 

[Robot]

“History” and “Logic” are not often "Printed" on the "Same Pages".



“History” and “Logic” are not often printed on the same pages.

Although I am not as knowledgeable as some of the members on this “forum” who have studied the episodes of “Jean Lafitte”, I would like to offer another version of what may have happened to Captain Lafitte.

It is strange that he was hardly ever referred to as “Captain” unlike Captain Morgan,
Captain Every, or the famous Captain Kidd.

I base my presentation more on “Logic” than recorded “Historical Facts”.

My belief concurs with history that in 1821 the United States evicted “Captain Lafitte” from Texas.

He was in the Texas Peninsula to raid Spanish ships leaving the Port of Veracruz to Cuba and then to Spain.

He left on his ship the “Pride” and went to "Dzilam De Bravo" in the "Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico".

I believe he was well acquainted with this small Mayan Village, which I will clarify latter.

Unfortunately, Mexico had just received its independence from Spain (1821) and no longer would support raids on Spanish Ships.

The only country willing to support these raids was “Colombia”.

Like John Dillinger’s famous saying “I rob banks because that is where the money is”

So, Jean Lafitte followed the advantages and availability of plundering Spanish Galleons.

I believe there is an Island (5 Kilometers in diameter) located 17 Kilometers off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula due north of Progreso that Captain Lafitte used for his Treasury.

Captain Lafitte left his treasure on this “Atoll” and preceded to Colombia with his family and Brother Pierre with his ship the “Pride”.

There he befriended "General Santander" who I believe over "General Bolivar" was the catalyst for South America’s final independence from Spain.

He traded his ship the “Pride” for a 43 ton Schooner he named in honor of the General “General Santander".

This time in history Spain had minimal war involvement in Europe, so Spain could afford to escort her treasure ships with heavy armed “Armadas”.

Lafitte needed a “faster” "Better Armed” Ship.

Here is where “Logic” must supersede “History”

I believe “Lafitte” was returning to "Dzilam De Bravo" with the “General Santander”, with his family and brother Pierre and daughter.

I believe he was going to retrieve his treasure at the “Atoll” and return to “Colombia”.

I believe he would not have attacked 2 Spanish War Ships with his family on board.

He had been credited with plundering over 100 ships and would not have made a grave mistake as this.

He did not have “yellow fever” as history stated.

Yellow fever kills multiple people and with only Jean suffering with this ailment it is hard to believe that only Lafitte would die from such a contagious disease.

The Maya at Dzilam De Bravo would have been fearful of “Yellow Fever” and would have spoken on this.

From my knowledge of the “Yucatan Coast” no one sails into "Dzilam De Bravo" without knowing exactly where it is located.

The whole “Yucatan Peninsula” has a very shallow coast line and only 2 points of entry, Dzilam De Bravo and Progreso.

Due to the extremely shallow coast line a vessel cannot cruse the shoreline looking for this location.

I have lived in the Yucatan Peninsula, married a Mayan, and conversed with the local Maya on Folk Lore.

Their culture does not depend on written history.

The only form of written history was by their Priests on Rock Stelas or the Catholic Priests recorded books.

Their form of verbal story telling (what we view as gossip) has been very accurate over many Centuries.

What they stated happened at Dzilam De Bravo, I would tend to believe.

I believe the account they told me to be true.

That Jean was well known to them.

That Pierre’s daughter “Lucia” had a "Fiancé" in the village.

That the occurrence of a “Schooner” docking off their shores would have been recognized and recorded.

When our helicopter arrived at this village in the 80’s all the town came out to welcome us.

I am sure to this day that they verbally recorded the visit by “Robot”.

It was stated that Jean Lafitte was gravely ill with an “Appendicitis” requiring surgery.

They did not have the facilities to help him and proceeded by horse cart to “Merida”, 1 week away for assistance.

He died on route.

I do not believe that “Pierre Lafitte, (his brother) knew where the location of this “Treasure Atoll” was.

If this is the “Case” and this story is "True" then I am willing to provide the “Co-ordinates” to any adventurous “Treasure Hunter” willing to “Bribe” Mexican authorities for their “Assistance”.