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Pirate House Revisited « Russell Guerin
http://www.russguerin.com/history/pirates/pirate-house-revisited-2/
Labat.
That of the Boat of Agusto Lafontaine without Inventory as it is completely ruined and underwater.
The proceedings practiced to conserve the Schooner of Cadet darbour.
Sending to you the declarations of the inhabitants of Biloxi that were with don Antonio Peytavin in transporting the Blacks of the Frigate of which it relates, to the Territory of Baton Rouge as appears by the declaration of don Francisco Missonet. Likewise two Blacks and one black woman of the four that Came from said Frigate, for having died one black woman about a month ago which appears in the Information taken, which I also direct to you.
A Protest of don Enrique Peytavin regarding the Seizure of the named house, for you to decide that which is most convenient".
“[Signed] Juan Bautista Pellerin ”
[N.B. Augusto Lafontaine, bom in 1762, appears to have been the uncle of Cadet La Fontaine. While there is no evidence of slave dealing on the part of Cadet La Fontaine, who settled early at the headwaters of Bayou Cadet, one may wonder whether he had occasional visits from his uncle. When Cadet settled there, it too was indeed a quiet, secluded wilderness.]
Although the Englis papers encompass the years 1764 to 1813, the very first mention of the word “corsair” is found in a letter of February 8, 1805. The word “pirate” does not show until 1810. American gunboats were noted with concern on several occasions; it is possible that they referred to pirate ships, not the ships of the United States. On other hand, some boats are distinguished as “gunboats of the United States,” as referred to on March 22, 1809. It is felt that others were the corsairs. An example of the correspondence among the Spanish authorities follows:
« Cayetano Perez, Mobile to Vicente Folch y Juan, March 22, 1809///GC 1809-03-22/001
"I have received the communication of Your Lordship with date of the 19th of the Current in which you enclose a document for the Commandant of Pensacola that immediately I will direct with all diligence and serves to caution me of the orders that I should observe in case they are directed to this Plaza the Gunboats of the United States that are cited Your Lordship charging me also to take precautions that I feel convenient and the strict vigilance that in such cases should be observed by a Subordinate Commandant charged with a Fortress....”
What seems clear is that there was little such activity early on in the years covered by the Spanish papers, but it picked up in later years, beginning in 1805. The Spanish had long been in control of the coast without mentioning corsairs, and when it first shows in the letters, the reference is to “American corsairs.”
The difference may well be in the fact of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. Almost suddenly, as history goes, the Spanish had given up their claim to New Orleans. They still occupied the coast, but ships travelling east out of the Mississippi River and out of Lake Borgne were considered to be trespassing by the Spanish. Furthermore, transport of slaves into the purchase area had become illegal under the terms set by President Jefferson.
Spanish communications exhibit a concern about there being little patrolling between the Bay of St. Louis and the lakes to the west. In summary, the coast of present-day Hancock County was a porous place in which to smuggle the so-called “inventory” of the “barbarous Traffic.”
Appendix
“Dn. Juan Ventura Morales, Yntendente Ynterino Superintendente Gral. Subdelegado en esta Provincia de la Florida Occidental, Juez de arribadas, de tierreas y solares
realengos, &a.Pensacola, December 4, 1806, [Copy] Archivo General de Indias, Papeles de Cuba, legajo 62.
“As per the part of Benito Garcia master of a small Ship of traffic and commerce on these coasts, has formally denounced to me, that in the post of Pascagoula, will be disembarked twenty-one blacks of contraband, offers to apprehend them, if granted permission by the intendancy General. As such I authorize is said form so that if in case are landed the referred twenty-one blacks, or in whatever form it is attempted to introduce in the territory of His Majesty he may apprehend and secure them: as also the contrabandists, and conduct them to this Plaza and to such effect in charge the Commandant subdelegated of the referred post of Pascagoula, sindics and other inhabitants of this Province in which if attempted fraud, help and give strength to the referred Bentio Garcia in order to said apprention [sic] Given the present signed in my hand, sealed with the seal of my arms and checked by the interim secretary of this Intendancy General in Pensacola the fourth of December of one thousand eight hundred and six= =Juan Ventura Morales= = Francisco Gutierrez de Arroyo ”
“Juan Bautista Pellerin, Pass Christian, to Francisco Maximillano de St. Maxent. Number 30, July 27, 1807. GC
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