Editing Jean Lafitte (section)

===Shifting attitudes===
Governor [[William C.C. Claiborne]] took a leave of absence in September 1810, leaving [[Thomas B. Robertson]] as acting governor. Robertson was incensed by Lafitte's operation, calling his men "brigands who infest our coast and overrun our country".<ref name=ramsay30>Ramsay (1996), p. 30.</ref> The residents of New Orleans were grateful to the Lafittes for providing them with luxuries otherwise prevented from being imported by the embargo.<ref name=ramsay29/> When Claiborne returned to office, he was relatively quiet on the subject.<ref name=ramsay32>Ramsay (1996), p. 32</ref>

[[File:LafitteClaiborneJackson.jpg|thumb|An 1837 woodcut of Lafitte, Governor [[William C. C. Claiborne|W.C.C. Claiborne]], and General [[Andrew Jackson]] during the [[War of 1812]]]]
On June 18, 1812, the United States [[War of 1812|declared war on Great Britain]]. Britain maintained a powerful navy, but the United States had little naval power.<ref name=ramsay34>Ramsay (1996), p. 34.</ref> The US built 13 warships in upstate New York to operate on the [[Great Lakes]], but in other areas supplemented its navy by offering letters of marque to privately owned armed vessels. 

New Orleans issued six such letters, primarily to smugglers who worked with Lafitte at Barataria. The smugglers often held letters of marque from multiple countries, authorizing them to capture booty from differing nations. They submitted booty from captured British ships to the American authorities at New Orleans, and booty from all other ships was often channeled for sale on the markets through Lafitte's operation.<ref name=ramsay35and36>Ramsay (1996), pp. 35&ndash;6.</ref>

As the smuggling operations reduced the amount of revenue collected by customs offices, American authorities were determined to halt business at Barataria.<ref name=ramsay36>Ramsay (1996), p. 36.</ref> Because the US Navy did not have enough ships to act against the Baratarian smugglers, the government turned to the courts. On November 10, 1812, [[United States District Attorney]] [[John R. Grymes]] charged Lafitte with "violation of the revenue law."<ref name=ramsay37>Ramsay (1996), p. 37.</ref> Three days later, 40 soldiers were sent to ambush the Baratarians and captured Lafitte, his brother Pierre, and 25 unarmed smugglers on November 16. They  confiscated several thousand dollars of [[contraband]]. Officials released the smugglers after they posted [[bail]]; the men quickly disappeared and refused to return for a trial.<ref name=ramsay37/>

Although under indictment, in March 1813 Lafitte registered as captain of ''Le Brig Goelette la Diligente'' for a supposed journey to New York.<ref name=ramsay38>Ramsay (1996), p. 38.</ref> Biographer Jack Ramsay speculates that the voyage was intended to "establish ... [Lafitte] as a privateering captain".<ref name=ramsay39>Ramsay (1996), p. 39.</ref> Lafitte soon acquired a letter of marque from [[Cartagena, Colombia|Cartagena]], but never sent any booty there. He brought all captured goods to Barataria.<ref name=ramsay40>Ramsay (1996), p. 40.</ref>

Lafitte's continued flouting of the laws angered Governor Claiborne, who, on March 15, issued a proclamation against the Baratarian "banditti ... who act in contravention of the laws of the United States ... to the evident prejudice of the revenue of the federal government".<ref name=ramsay40/> The proclamation was printed in the nationally read ''Niles' Weekly Register''.<ref name=ramsay40/>

In October, a revenue officer prepared an ambush of a band of Lafitte's smugglers. The smugglers wounded one of the officers and safely escaped with the contraband.<ref name=ramsay42>Ramsay (1996), p. 42.</ref> The following month, the governor offered a $500 reward for Lafitte's capture. Within two days of his offer, handbills were posted all over New Orleans offering a similar award for the arrest of the governor. Although the handbills were made in Lafitte's name, Ramsay believes "it is unlikely [the handbills] originated with him".<ref name=ramsay43>Ramsay (1996), p. 43.</ref> Following the reward offer, Lafitte wrote Claiborne a note denying the charges of piracy.<ref name=ramsay43/>

Given the success of his auctions at the Temple<!-- explain what this is -->, in January 1814 Lafitte set up a similar auction at a site just outside New Orleans. Many of the city's merchants were unhappy with this auction, because it allowed their customers to buy goods directly from Lafitte at a lower price than the merchants could charge in the city.<ref name=ramsay43/> Officials tried to break up this auction by force. In the ensuing gunfight, one of the revenue officers <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.odmp.org/officer/21675-customs-inspector-john-stout|title=Customs Inspector John Stout|website=The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP)|access-date=Mar 1, 2021}}</ref> was killed and two others were wounded.<ref name=ramsay44>Ramsay (1996), p. 44.</ref>

Claiborne appealed to the new state legislature, citing the lost revenues due to the smuggling. He requested approval to raise a [[Militia (United States)|militia]] company to "disperse those desperate men on Lake Barataria whose piracies have rendered our shores a terror to neutral flags".<ref name=ramsay45>Ramsay (1996), p. 45.</ref> The legislature appointed a committee to study the matter but, as most of their constituents benefitted by the smuggling, they never authorized the militia. 

A [[grand jury]] indicted Pierre Lafitte after hearing testimony against him by one of the city's leading merchants.<ref name=ramsay45/> He was arrested, tried, convicted, and jailed on charges of "having knowingly and wittingly aided and assisted, procured, commanded, counselled, and advised" persons to commit acts of [[piracy]]".<ref name=ramsay46>Ramsay (1996), p. 46.</ref>