Pierre Lafitte | |
---|---|
Born | c. 1770 Possibly France or Biarritz |
Died | 1821 |
Piratical career | |
Type | Privateer, blacksmith, spy |
Rank | Captain |
Base of operations | New Orleans |
Battles/wars | War of 1812 Battle of New Orleans |
Pierre Lafitte (c. 1770–1821) was a pirate in the Gulf of Mexico and smuggler in the early 19th century. He also ran a blacksmith shop in New Orleans, his legitimate business. Pierre was historically less well known than his younger brother, Jean Lafitte. While not as much of a sailor as Jean, Pierre was the public face of the Lafitte operation, and was known for his wit and charm, in addition to his handling of the sale of smuggled goods.
Pierre Lafitte also spied for Spain and commanded artillery units. He died in 1821 near Dzilam de Bravo in the Yucatán Peninsula.