Lafitte in Galveston

[Story]

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Man dons hat, coat for turn as Jean Lafitte

By Rick Cousins

Correspondent

Published October 2, 2005

LEAGUE CITY — Garbed in Hollywood-quality tri-corner hat and greatcoat and outfitted with an antique blunderbuss and flintlock pistol, novelist Tom Townsend looks a lot like Galveston’s most famous pirate.

The 61-year-old resident of Rusk will assume the role of Jean Lafitte on Thursday during the League City Historical Society’s annual fund-raiser.

“I hadn’t done the Jean Lafitte program for about seven years,” said Townsend. “I hadn’t expected to do it again, but I did find that I still fit in the costume.”

Since 1985, Townsend has performed this role for more than a million school children.

According to history Web sites, Lafitte helped himself to foreign treasure acquired on the high seas and later resold it, at discount prices, in his kingdom of Campeche, now known as the Island of Galveston.

“Galveston was Lafitte’s last resort,” Townsend said. “He considered it to be defendable for his operations against the Spanish and English.”

Based on his book, “Where the Pirates Are,” Townsend’s presentation starts with a 20-minute monologue followed by questions from the audience. The book was one of 20 titles nominated for the 1986 Texas Bluebonnet Award.

Townsend has authored 26 additional books, including seven historical novels.

To develop Lafitte’s character, Townsend invested hours in perusing historical documents, including the “Lafitte Journal.” The journal is a handwritten document that many believe was penned by the famous buccaneer.

Townsend did not set out to be a pirate, though.

“My publisher said that I needed to go to schools (to make presentations) because it would help him sell a lot of books,” he recalled. “But I felt that writers were the most boring persons in the world.”

Hence, Townsend decided that instead of talking about pirates he would talk as a pirate.

He credits a performance of Hal Holbrook’s “Mark Twain Tonight” as the catalyst that enabled him to trade his pen for a sword — plus an assortment of other weapons.

Townsend has discontinued the program in schools since policy shifts in most school districts made it impossible for him to display his authentic weapons.

“I refused to do it without the weapons,” Townsend said, explaining that historical accuracy demands their inclusion in his presentation.

A former island resident, Towsend once managed the golf course at Pirates’ Beach. On Thursday, he will bring back something of the dash and color of Lafitte, often described as a charmer who won many hearts.

But, Townsend said, there’s a difference between him and his character.

“I’m not a sex symbol,” he said jokingly.

http://galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?...3c10e316c641e7c

[MadMike]

Hmm... wonder if he's bothered to review Rene Chartrand's book "Uniforms and Equipment of the United States Forces in the War of 1812"?

It does after all, contain descriptions of Baratarian pirates AND the correct clothing for a privateer officer...

Yours, &c.

Mike

[JoshuaRed]

Yeah based on the clothing desc. he sounds more like Lafitte's grandfather. Ah well. I do give him respect for refusing to do the school gigs without his authentic weapons.

[MadMike]

Joshua Red,

Gotta agree with ya there. Haven't seen his program so I can't comment on it (could be great, then again...).

FL just passed a law requiring anyone desiring to work in a school to undergo a background check (pay $60-80 fee and fingerprints). This includes anyone wishing to do educational programs at schools. Doesn't matter if you've had federal background checks (like I underwent for 15 years in the military).

Yours, &c.

Mike

[capnwilliam]

Mon dieu! We have enough trouble trying to get our Baratarians to dress 1815 instead of 1715; now here comes someone who's teaching historical misinformation to school kids as part of an organized history program!

As Red said: the guy's dressed like Jean's grand pere, not like Jean.

Capt. William