While “The Pirate Lafitte” is highly entertaining, to repeat myself from a review of a book on the same topic (Dee Brown’s “Andrew Jackson and the Battle of New Orleans”), calling Tallant’s book "non-fiction" is like calling the blockbuster film "Titanic" a "documentary." The author acknowledges his consultation of many sources, naming but one title and five additional authors. Much dialogue is assumed to be imaginative, though placed in quotation marks, but the author sometimes asserts its authenticity. “This letter was a very real one,” Tallant states on page 18, “[it] still exists in a library in New Orleans.” On page 107, he discusses another letter and boasts “those were Lafitte’s own words.” However, sorely lacking is any level of scholarship and citation that is essential today. Which library in New Orleans?

I found one story related within to be particularly interesting because of its mundane nature and my ability to compare it to the same story in Dee Brown’s aforementioned book. Both books retell a story of Jackson drinking coffee with his men. Dee Brown writes:

"The fragrant odor of coffee filled the damp air. 'That smells like better coffee than we get at headquarters,' Jackson said gruffly. Dominique You arose slowly, pushing his cap back, the glow of coals lighting his grinning face. 'Did you smuggle it, Captain Dominique?' Jackson asked...'Maybe so, General, maybe so.' The former pirate filled a steaming cup and offered it to Old Hickory" (page 114).

In Robert Tallant's relation of the story, he tells us:

"'That smells good,' said the General. 'It is better coffee than we get. Where did it come from? Did you smuggle it in?'...Dominique You shrugged, grinned up at Jackson. 'That may be,' he said. He turned to the Baratarian beside him. 'Fill up a cup for the General,' he told him" (page 147).

There were some quirky aspects to this book that perhaps showed its age, being published in 1951. The “USS Enterprise” is misspelled as “Enterprize” on page 182. I giggled over the use of the outdated “Britisher” in a few places, such as page 136. I had to recall how old this work is when I got to page 88 and read “at that time it took a long while for news to arrive from other parts of the country. We must remember this was long before the telegraph or any of the other means by which we can now know almost immediately what is going on all over the world.” Awe, cher. How cute. While highly entertaining, these details, along with the absence of references, an index, or a glossary, make this book a poor choice for use in today’s classrooms. ( )

Regardless of its accuracy, I actually really enjoyed this book. While the author's credentials seemed a little fuzzy--I had to google him, as there is no "about the author" in the text--I discovered that Robert Tallant was a local New Orleans writer. Also, although there no formal bibliography, as might be found in any modern nonfiction text, the author acknowledges that "many sources were consulted during the preparation of this book," (Tallant, n.p.) continuing to provide a list of "writers whose works [he] consulted," as well as pointing out Lyle Saxon's Lafitte the Pirate, specifically. Since the book was published in 1951 and was intended for children, I do not know how much of this lack of a bibliography is a sign of the book's time and audience and how much reflects poor scholarship. Likewise, there are no formal parenthetical citations throughout the text, but the author does reference his sources on a few occasions.

As for the distinction between fact and opinion, if the reader is to assume that everything in the text is factual, then I would be a little wary. There are some instances when Tallant explicitly says that certain things are true, citing usually a letter still in existence in a museum or some other kind of artifact that could still be seen in 1951. Other aspects of the story, such as how many men were lost on each side, seem dubious, but I with a minimal amount of research on my part, it seems that Tallant was not too far off. I would want to ask a historian or consult something a little more reputable than wikipedia before making any final judgement, but I was surprised that at least in his numbers, I was mistaken in thinking Tallant ridiculous.

In the mix of facts vs. opinions, generalizations, and sensationalism, I think the Tallant is most profusely guilty probably of the final count, as he romanticizes and glorifies a man who by all accounts was a murdering pirate, smuggler, and slave trader. In his retelling, Tallant makes Lafitte out to be a hero, not a monster. Generalizations about what was acceptable in 1814 and America in 1951 pepper the text as Tallant tries to rationalize and decriminalize Lafitte's actions. With all that being said, much of the text regarding the Battle of New Orleans itself sounded very convincing, and I enjoyed reading about stories I had previously heard on field trips and in school, such as the women of New Orleans quickly making uniforms for the American soldiers who came to help fight, as well as the fact that a mixture of Native American, French, Spanish, Free Black, and U.S. soldiers fought. Other things were new to me, such as the brevity of the battle on the 8th, and history of Jean Lafitte as a whole.

Although I was initially critical in reading this text for accuracy, after reading other books this week with the same standards in mind, I revisited my earlier harsh opinion. Not only was The Pirate Lafitte a fun read, but I honestly feel now that I know a little more on the subject than I did before. Whether or not all of that information is completely historically accurate, I am not so certain, but at least for next year, when I visit the Chalmette Battlefield in January, I will do so as a slightly more informed and inquisitive guest than in previous years. ( )

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