Capture of the schooner Bravo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Capture of the schooner Bravo
Part of West Indies Anti-Piracy Operations, Piracy in the Caribbean
Date August 31, 1819 Location off Florida, United States, Gulf of Mexico Result American victory
Belligerents
United States	Caribbean pirates
Commanders and leaders
William H. Crawford	Jean La Farges
Strength
2 schooners	1 schooner
Casualties and losses
Unknown	1 schooner captured

The capture of the schooner Bravo was an exciting sea battle in 1819. It happened between ships from the United States Revenue Cutter Service (like today's Coast Guard) and a pirate ship linked to the famous Jean Lafitte.

New Ships for Fighting Pirates

In early 1819, two new U.S. Revenue Cutter ships, the USRC Alabama and the USRC Louisiana, were built in New York City. These two similar ships each had a powerful cannon that could turn all the way around. Their main job was to patrol the Gulf of Mexico and stop piracy. The Alabama was sent to the area around Mobile, and the Louisiana went to New Orleans.

The Chase and Battle

In August 1819, the Alabama joined the Louisiana near New Orleans to help deal with pirate attacks. On August 31, while sailing off southern Florida, the two American ships spotted a schooner named Bravo.

The U.S. ships immediately started chasing the Bravo. When they got close enough, the Bravo fought back, and a short gun battle began. During this fight, the first officer and three crew members on the Louisiana were hurt.

The American sailors then bravely boarded the Bravo. The pirates were quickly captured. The person in charge of the Bravo was Jean La Farges, who was a leader under the French pirate Jean Lafitte. It seems the pirates didn't have official papers to show they were privateers (legal armed ships), which is why they tried to escape when they saw the Revenue Cutter ships.

More Battles Against Pirates

After this capture, more battles happened between U.S. naval forces and pirates in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.

• On April 19, 1819, the Alabama and Louisiana destroyed a pirate hideout at Patterson's Town Raid on Breton Island, Louisiana.
• On July 10, 1820, the Captain of the Louisiana captured four pirate ships near Belize.
• On November 2, 1822, the Louisiana, along with the USS Peacock and the British Royal Navy schooner HMS Speedwell, captured five pirate ships near Havana, Cuba.

What Happened to the Ships

The Louisiana didn't serve for much longer. In March 1824, it was sold to the public. The Alabama continued its work, even helping to fight against the slave trade in the Atlantic. It was finally sold in Florida on August 6, 1833.