Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas Page: 328 of 372
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264
BIOGR APHICAL
for the leadl of the Governor. Lafitte's cruisers were
seriously interfering with the commerce of the Gulf
and on the 16th of June, 1814, tlie establishmenl
at Barataria was broken up by Commodore Patterson
of the United States navy. Lafitte declined a
commission in the British navy, during the war
with the United States, but was finally emnployed
by General Jackson, in the defence of New Orleans.
For his services in the great battle, January 8th,
1815, Lafitte received a full pardon from the President
of the United States. But after peace, lie returned
to his old piratical calling. In 1817, after
the departure of Aury from Galveston, Lafitte established
his headquarters on that island, where he
built a village called Campeachy. Lafitte, at that
time, had a commission from Herrera, the Minister
of the Republicans in Mexico, then at New Orleans
and in the name of the Mexican Republic he denominated
himself Governor of Galveston. Lafitte's
orders were not to interfere with American commerce,
but his men were reckless, and rarely permitted
a valuable cargo to escape. This became so
notorious that, in 1821, Lieutenant Kerney, with the
United States brig Enterprise, was sent to warn
Lafitte to leave the island. The pirate received
Kearney, and entertained him with a princely
hospitality; but when he found that the Lieutenant's
orders were imlperative, he called together his
followers, and paid them off, and taking his favorite
ship, the Pride, with Lieutenant Cochran and about
100 picked men, he sailed out of the harbor, leaving
forever the Texas coast. On the day Lafitte
left Galveston, Long and Milam entered the harbor
on their way to the West. Cochran became a
Commodore in the Mexican navy. Lafitte died at
Silan, in Yucatan, in 1826.
IARNES, HENRY, was a native of Tennessee;
early in life he attached himself
to a company of trappers on the frontier
of Arkansas. The company disbanded on
the head of Red river. Kames alid three coipanions
crossed the country to the Trinity river
where, the Indians having stolen their horses, they
constructed a canoe and descended the stream to
Robbins' Ferry. From there Karnes crossed over
to the Brazos, and for a considerable time found
employment as an overseer on the Groce plantation.
He responded to the first call for volunteers at the
breaking out of the revolution in 1835, and distinguished
himself at the taking of the city of Sane Antonio. He siezed a crowbar and dashed forwar he, however, soon effected
, his escape. In 1937, he was Indian Agent; in 1838-9
- in the Ranging service, and in the latter year re-
ceived a severe wound in a single clolbat witlh a
r chief. At one time hie was taken prisoner, and the
- savages attempted to wasll his reld hair whlite. Heedied
in San Antolifo, in 1840, from the effects of
t the wound received the previous year. Captain
r Karnes was wholly uneducated. It is questionable
if lie knew how to spell his own name, which
in early documents is variously spelled; but lie
was inured to hardships; cool, reticent, watchlful,
-and a stranger to the sensation of fear ; one of a
class of men to wlhom Tex.as owes a lasting debt
of gratitude.
K NahOBERTSON, STERLING C., was born in
Nashville Tennessee, inl 1785. I-Ie served
in the war of 1812-14. He carne to Texas
in 1823. Having determlined to raise a
a colony for Texas, Robertson returned to Tennessee,
to carry out that design.
In 182'5, Robert Leftwick made a contract with
the Mexican governmenxt, to introduce 800 families
into Texas, but abandoning the design, lie sold out
the contraclt to Robertsonl, who thereupon revisited
Saltillo, Monclova, and the city of Mexico, and
was recognized as the legal successo;r of Leftwick
in the colony contract.
In April, 1830, a law was passedf for the expulsion
of all foreigners fromll Texas, who blad not
been introduced into the country ini accordance
with1 thle colonization law,s of Marchl, 1825. This.
resulted in the expulsion of IRobertson's first colonists,
and necessitated several laborious trips on
his part to the Mexican capital to secure tlhe rights
guaranteed to hin under liis contract
Tliis lie at last, in 1834, succeeded in doing, and
during that year lie founded the town of Sarahville.
de Viesca on tlie heights overlooking the falls
of the Brazos river.
In 1835, Colonel Robertson visited the states of
Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky,
and prior to the breaking out of the revolution of
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Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas (Book)
Biographical view of Texas and its history including narratives of the individuals who helped shape Texas history and information about important point in history including: the pioneer days of Texas, Texas' transition from a Mexican state to being part of the United States, and the wars in which Texas citizens took part.
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Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas, book, 1880; New York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth5827/m1/328/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.