The Baratarians and the Battle of New Orleans

by Jane Lucas De Grummond

Andrew Jackson seemed doomed to defeat as he prepared to meet the British in the famous Battle of New Orleans. His troops were outnumbered two to one, and his supply of ammunition was limited. Yet, Jackson's forces accomplished one of the most dramatic upsets in military history, and the polished Redcoats toppled again and again before the weapons of the volunteer "dirty shirts" who were determined not to let the British gain control of the city. How large a part did Jean Laffite and his pirates play in this important battle of the War of 1812? Most historians have seen their role as an insignificant one, but several semi-fictional accounts have indicated the battle would have been lost without the Baratarians. In this case, author Jane Lucas de Grummond says the "fictional" accounts are closer to the truth than the history books. The pirates, she claims, played a key role in the battle not only by supplying badly needed ammunition but also by furnishing and manning the cannon, which turned the battle in favor of the Americans. Jackson had used most of his ammunition in the Creek war, and there were only a few small cannons in New Orleans. The Baratarians, she writes, have not received the credit due them because the regulars who prepared the official reports for the War and Navy departments did not see fit to mention that they had been aided by pirates. Instead, the regulars gave themselves most of the credit. The prewar and postwar adventures of the pirate band, the events that led to Laffite's decision to aid a government which had been seeking to imprison him, and the dramatic story of the battle itself add up to a book that will provide exciting reading for any adult.

300 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

Reviews

[Michael Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

I first got interested in the Lafitte brothers when I was based in Dallas and learned of their activities in Texas for the Spanish government -- and now I live in south Louisiana, their principal stomping grounds. As with all semi-mythical historical figures, there’s a lot of fantasy (to put it politely) that has been published about them. Not to mention all the obfuscatory tales Jean spread himself. Documentable evidence is much, much harder to come by. De Grummond concentrates here on the Lafittes’ much celebrated role in the defense of New Orleans against the invasion of British General Pakenham, but she provides some very iffy background information as well.

Then, unfortunately, she spoils everything by buying into the story, promulgated by one of his supposed sons (living in Alton, Illinois, no less), that “later Jean changed his name to John Lafflin and dropped out of sight,” turning up later in St. Louis, where his brother, Pierre, also was buried in 1844. If she had stuck to the battle itself -- which she describes and documents pretty well -- everything would have been okay. The Biographical Sketches by Morazan is a far more useful source, giving details wherever available about the members of the Battalion and including an excellent bibliography. (De Grummond’s “Essay on Authorities” is far less useful.)