of Pirates Alley
The area is every bit as busy today as it was during the days when General Andrew Jackson hurried through the streets under threat of war with the British. In 1813, Pierre Lafitte, brother of the legendary pirate Jean Lafitte, was arrested for the crimes of smuggling and piracy and was imprisoned in the Cabildo building, which is located across from this alleyway. Both brothers were equally culpable of the crimes, but most likely there was more direct evidence against Pierre since Jean handled the actual pirating from the ship and Pierre was in charge of dispersing these goods in the port of New Orleans.
This may sound like a very straightforward case. A crime was committed and the guilty party was placed in jail, but this is not a case of black-and-white/right-and-wrong reasoning. Pirating was always an interesting profession, and what many people don’t realize is that it was a very gray area legally, depending on the political climate of the time.
When war began between the American colonies and Britain in 1812, the American government offered legal papers to many pirates—Lafitte’s crew included—giving them the rights and direction to “raid” British ships, the technical term for pirating. The British government also extended this raiding offer to the pirates. This wasn’t the only time governments used pirates and gave them the freedom to do their business. On the Atlantic Coast of the United States, Blackbeard the Pirate and others were also many times given free reign to do likewise by various governments at war.
With this in mind, it’s easy to imagine that a man who built his business and lifestyle as a pirate would see the gray areas between countries and laws, as both countries would often offer him clemency, removal of criminal records, and legal documents granting him the legal right to do the work he did for years at a time. Once wars were over, the governments would then officially pull these rights and again publicly condemn them as criminals. Yet behind closed doors, clandestine meetings would still occur, where government officials would turn a blind eye to the pirate’s activities and provide favors in return for intelligence information against their enemies.
In the case of the arrest of Pierre Lafitte, he and his brother Jean were operating under the permission of the US government to pirate at this time. Somehow this information never seemed to pass far along the chain of command, as the U.S. Navy preferred not to recognize this status of the pirates, creating a double-edged challenge for the pirates, as the enemy of their enemy was never their friend. Complaints by some Navy officials led to laws stating that all contraband obtained by the pirates must be immediately handed over to the US government. Naval officials accused the pirates of keeping treasures and ordered the accused pirates to be arrested on sight. So on a double-cross by the government, both Lafitte brothers were arrested in November 1812. They immediately placed bail and were released until their trial. Not surprisingly, neither brother returned for the trial. In 1813, Pierre, working the risky position of fencing the stolen goods to customers in New Orleans, was an easier target and was captured and placed in jail.
During this time, British intelligence approached Jean Lafitte and asked him to come work for their side. With Jean’s brother back in jail, it would have been easy for Lafitte to take his revenge on the US government and help the British, with the agreement that when the British took over the port of New Orleans, his brother would be freed. To his credit, Jean Lafitte declined the British offer, reportedly based on the business decision that his pirating business ran better under the American government, which was still small in comparison and had fewer available resources to hinder his business.
Legend has it that the daring Jean Lafitte risked his own freedom by meeting with the governor of Louisiana in this very alleyway on a dark and stormy night to negotiate his brother’s freedom in return for the Lafitte brothers offering information and assistance against the British in the upcoming Battle of New Orleans. He explained to the governor that he had received a substantial offer from the British and offered his allegiance to Louisiana instead. The governor reportedly agreed that it would be best for the Lafittes to be friends of Louisiana rather than to work for the British, and it was arranged that Pierre would be allowed to “escape” from jail in the Cabildo so that no official could be publicly blamed.
The legend continues that Jean Lafitte later met another top-ranking official, General Andrew Jackson, in this alleyway for a similar clandestine meeting. Under the cover of darkness and on a foggy night, it is reported that Jackson offered full legal pardons to both brothers in exchange for their services against the British. The Lafitte brothers agreed and worked as spies, offering intelligence and operating as pirates for the US government. While an alleyway might seem like a strange place to meet, imagine being a wanted man and meeting government officials who are prone to going back on their promises in direct sight of the prison. It’s hard to imagine any criminal choosing this area as a preferred meeting site. Yet the legend prevails. The reasons are plentiful, including the sanctuary of the cathedral being only steps away, as well as the cover of darkness and many paths and alleys around the area to aid in an easy escape. Rumors also prevail that at the nearby apartments, there were many women captivated by the romantic and dashing Jean, and the women would provide lookout information and safe places to stow away in troubled times. Pirates were beloved by many people in ports, contrary to what the history books often claim. For many people, their personal businesses profited from the wares smuggled in by these men. During times of war, goods that were impossible to obtain legally were often hand-delivered by the pirates to paying clients. One only has to think of Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind to see how dashing and romantic these men could appear as they delivered goods to those in need.
In the clear light of day, I strolled along Pirates Alley coming from the direction of Bourbon Street. At the end of the alley you arrive on Decatur Street, which leads you to a wonderful treat at Café du Monde. Here you can have a seat and sample world-famous beignets, which are best described as French-style doughnuts served warm and covered in powdered sugar, served up hot on a white plate with a cup of café au lait. Café du Monde provides a stunning view of Jackson Square, and the breezes coming off the Mississippi River make this one of the most enchanting areas in the city.
Café du Monde is one of my top 10 places to see and be seen, as the people-watching is incredible. Everything changes constantly here, as people move in and out of the café amid performing musicians and street artists. Across the street, horse-drawn carriages are lined up to take visitors on a tour of the French Quarter, and artists display canvases against the wrought iron fence surrounding Jackson Square. St. Louis Cathedral provides an easily recognizable landmark in the square, and it is surrounded by a lush garden.
Sitting here at Café du Monde creates a distinct moment in time. As I relax and savor the beignets, the coffee, and the music, I realize that I have become part of the scene and part of the history here, as does each person with his or her presence at this moment. The mood is complex and intriguing; it is every bit relaxing while also strangely energizing due to the music and the movement of people. One has a sense of being somewhere special and in the midst of life as it should be. People from every walk of life you can imagine are mixing together: bohemians, artists, professionals, travelers, children, seniors, along with a few writers thrown into the mix.
The scene is one of chaos blended into bliss, where each note of jazz played by rotating artists at the café carries the people along from day into evening. To my delight, I find that the energy of the music and the people moving in and out of the café are an exotic representation of this same movement, which is delightful. I am experiencing a moment of heaven on earth, where the spiritual planes open and the veil is so thin that those here on earth can easily bump into angels and spirits from the other side.
I’ve been to Café du Monde more times than I can count over my many visits to New Orleans. This time I’m here to experience something new—I’m waiting for twilight, the “tween” time. Mystical practitioners know that the one-hour time period during sunrise and sunset is the easiest time to slip through the veils and commune with spirits on the other side and those who remain here on the earth plane.
