1815
January 8--The Battle of New Orleans ended.
Late January--John Grymes quit his US District Attorney post to represent
the Laffites along with Edward Livingston and Pierre Morel. John Dick took Grymes' post, and the legal battle for the goods seized in the Patterson-Ross raid of Barataria continued.
February 6--President James Madison signed a full pardon for all the Baratarians who assisted in the defense of New Orleans.
Baratarian Privateers obtain commission from the Mexican Congress.
February 28--Pierre Laffite placed a bankruptcy notice in the L'Ami des Lois.
July--Jean Laffite gave a statement in a claim by Jean Gourjon against Vincent Gambie regarding a runaway slave. Pierre Laffite assigned power of attorney to Jean Laffite to represent him in Washington, D.C.
August--Jean Laffite traveled to Washington and Philadelphia, to present his claim for reimbursement to President Madison. Arsene Lacarriere Latour went with him.
December--Jean Laffite presented his petition for reimbursement of his Baratarian losses to President Madison.
While Jean was in Washington Pierre, working through the corrupt priest, Father Antonio de Sedella, committed himself and Jean to become secret agents of Spain.
1816
April--Jean Laffite and Latour returned to New Orleans.
May--Jean Laffite and Latour left on a mapping survey ostensibly for the Spanish for several months on the Red, Sabine, Trinidad (Trinity), Arkansas and Colorado rivers.
September--Louis-Michel Aury occupies Galveston.
Late November--Jean Laffite and Latour returned to New Orleans.
1817
W.C.C. Claiborne died. His widow then married John R. Grymes.
March--Jean Laffite went to Galveston and spent two weeks there talking with Louis Aury and Mina, gathering information for the Spanish and the New Orleans Association.
April--Xavier Mina undertakes an expedition to Soto la Marina.
April 8-18--Jean Laffite took control of Galveston through a coup in Aury's absence, then returned briefly to New Orleans.
1818
January--A group of French settlers arrived with Charles Lallemand at
Galveston as a port of entry to establish their Champ d'Asile settlement on the Trinity River. Laffite reported their plans to the Spanish authorities, who sent troops to that area. The settlers fled to Galveston, before the Spanish troops, only to endure the hurricane that Fall.
August--George Graham visited Laffite at Galveston to give him a dispossess notice he said was from US authorities.
September--Champ d'Asile refugees return to Galveston.
September 12--A strong hurricane hit Galveston, severely damaging ships and homes. Laffite's resources are strained as he is called upon to deal with the storm and assist the Champ d'Asile refugees.
Late October--Pierre Laffite showed up at George Graham's DC office with a Sept. 26, 1818, letter from Jean. The purpose of his urgent visit to Graham remains unknown.
The Laffite Society
Galveston Island, Texas
Established 1994
