The Pirate Lafitte and the Battle of New Orleans

By Robert Tallant

Book Overview

Jean Lafitte left behind many a legend for generations to follow in the
pages of Louisiana history. Treasure hunters still speculate about the site of
pirated loot buried under French Quarter homes or sunk in the Barataria swamps.
His notorious reputation was born of tales like these of the blacksmith and
suspect pirate. But regardless of whatever the storytellers may repeat, there
is one legend that does survive the test of authenticity, the story of how Jean
Lafitte and his men were heroes at the Battle of New Orleans against the
invading British forces during the War of 1812.
In The Pirate Lafitte and the Battle of New Orleans, author
Robert Tallant has given younger readers a chance to relive the excitement,
romance, and thrill of those days when the Barataria pirates threatened river
traffic and New Orleans felt the threat of seige by the British. This
enthralling story from the pages of history is delightfully told with an
emphasis on helping children understand the political events of the time as
well as the social climate of the city in the early-nineteenth century.
The story reveals the speculative past of Lafitte and how he hid behind the
facade of his blacksmith's shop in the Vieux Carr . He held bitter
contempt for his enemy Governor Claiborne until that famous battle, in which
the pirate-turned-hero joined Gen. Andrew Jackson to protect the city from the
incoming assault of British soldiers. Combining tales of pirates, mystery,
battle, true events, and real people, this children's book is a thrilling
chapter in American history.
Robert Tallant (1909-1957) was one of Louisiana's best-known authors, and
participated in the WPA Writers Project during the 1930s and 1940s. Besides
Mardi Gras . . . As It Was, Tallant also wrote Voodoo in New
Orleans and The Voodoo Queen . With Lyle Saxon and Edward
Dreyer he coauthored the famous collection Gumbo Ya-Ya: Folktales of
Louisiana.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0882899317
• ISBN13: 9780882899312
• Release Date: March 1994
• Publisher: Pelican Publishing Company
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 13 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 8 to 12

Customer Reviews

First Scripture

This is the sort of book which can speak to ten-year-olds of the things that matter most to them: blood, honor, fear, group cohesion. For all the carefully bowdlerized children's books they fed us at school, this is the one that was engraved on our minds, telling us how the higher life could be lived.

Excellent for Young and Old

My friend has just written me about this book. I LOVED it as a 10 year old--and I loved it when I reread it a year or so after I was 40. And I plan now to buy it for my grand daughter. This is a fun and informative book. I wish more young kid books were like this.