Revolutionizing Texas and Soliciting the help of Pirate Jean LafitteNiles Weekly Register Dec 11, 1819 14 pages 8vo. On a small portion of the back page we learn General Long Abandons his Campaign, Returns to Galveztown with Jean Lafitte, The expedition into East Texas is a failure, settlers forced to evacuate into US Territory. 1700 Spanish with artillery establishing a post at Nacogdoches and occupy the province. General Long has gone to Lafitte at Galsveztown, Longs soldiers were described as unfit…Lafitte had befriended Long but his activities (Long’s) had been leaked to the Spanish as Lafitte was protecting his own base at Galveztown from Spanish intrusion….

Background

In 1819 Long was active in getting up a public meeting in Natchez for revolutionizing Texas, and subscribed liberally to the scheme. On the 17th day of June, 1819, he left Natchez with seventy-five men, and very soon his force numbered about three hundred.

General Long arriving at Nacogdoches, in Texas, a provisional government was organized consisting of a supreme council, and a proclamation issued declaring Texas to be an independent Republic. Liberal laws were enacted providing for the disposition of public lands.

Now, at this time the pirate leader, Jean Lafitte, occupied Galveston Island with several hundred of his followers, and his ships were depredating on Spanish commerce. He had, some years previous to this, destroyed a few American vessels, but when the British army were threatening New Orleans he sailed for that place with his men, and offered his services to General Jackson, which were accepted, and he and his force took an active part in the famous battle of the 8th of January. For this service all previous offenses against American commerce and shipping on the high seas were forgiven Lafitte, but with a strict injunction amounting to a threat that if these outrages were ever again repeated he and his men would have to leave Galveston Island forever.

It will be proper here to state that the Spanish authorities which then ruled Mexico, of which Texas was a part, had news of the invasion of Long, and sent Colonel Perez with a strong force to drive him back. This body of troops were now on the way, coming through the wilderness which lay between San Antonio (one of the Spanish military posts) and the Sabine River, the boundary line between the United States and the Spanish possessions.

General Long was very desirous of getting the aid of Lafitte in his enterprise, and sent James Gaines to Galveston Island to solicit his co-operation, but that dignitary referring to the failure of Mina, Aurey, Magee and others in previous attempts of the kind, declined to give any assistance. When Gaines came back and reported his failure, Long determined to visit the pirate chief in person, but on reaching the Cooshattie Village he received the startling and unexpected intelligence of the advance of Perez, and at once sent instructions to his wife to abandon Nacogdoches and recross the Sabine, which she promptly obeyed.