Savannah Roques: Rascals, Rogues and Heroes

The vibrant city of Savannah Georgia and its people have an intriguing history that often includes the rogues and rascals who made the place their home. Whether it was pirates, Revolutionary War heroes, the aristocracy of the city or the characters we find in movies and books, Savannah has always been a center of interest for criminals and notable characters. We will look at some famous Savannah Rogues, rascals, and heroes to gain insight into the cultural fabric of the city.

Jean Lafitte – Pirate, Privateer and Businessman

The first on our list of Savannah Rogues is the infamous Jean Lafitte, a pirate, merchant, privateer and probably one of the most famous and notorious figures from the Golden Age of Piracy. Lafitte had a huge impact on the early 19th century Savannah culture. He was born in what is now Louisiana, later entering into a partnership with his own brother Pierre in the early 1800s. They became notorious as pirate smuggler Baratarian pirates and were known by many other names too, such as Smugglers, Bloody Pirates, or the Pirates of Barataria.

In 1815, Jean Lafitte entered into a secret agreement with the Governor of Louisiana to become a privateer doing battle against Spanish ships in lieu of his criminal activities. Despite his dastardly deeds however, many locals believed him to be a great man as he was known to never attack ships carrying slaves or females; he also provided food and shelter for locals in times of distress.

Lafitte eventually landed himself a place in Savannah’s history. Initially he had tried to land an illegal shipment of goods there more than once, but had been foiled by local authorities. He did manage to land there one last time in November 1820, with a wholly legal shipment of goods from his pirate expeditions in exchange for gold.

It was during this time that Lafitte made his most lasting contributions to the city, creating a shipping network for Savannah’s merchants and further elevating it to a major hub of commerce. He established multiple trading posts in the area around the city, enabling so-called “black trade” (buying slaves or smuggling goods). Despite his swashbuckling lifestyle and questionable commercial activities, this dashing pirate is an integral part of Savannah’s history and culture.

Joseph Eggelletion

Joseph Eggelletion (sic) is another famous figure from Savannah’s past. He was a Revolutionary War hero and community leader who served as an aide-de-camp to General Horatio Gates in the battle of Bemis Heights on October 7th 1777. Eggelletion is credited for single-handedly saving a large cannon from the British forces and helped transform Gates’ rag tag bunch into a well-drilled fighting unit.

He moved to Savannah after the war, setting up his home near Habersham Road and Monterey Square. In time he became one of the most prominent citizens of Savannah, eventually becoming a state representative in 1819. His larger than life persona also included participation in numerous charities, as well as working closely with the slaves in his area.

It was reported that upon his death in 1831, more than 800 slaves turned up to mourn his death and attend his funeral at the Christ Church cemetery. Eggelletion and his patriotic deeds are remembered even today in Savannah’s Spirit Walk monument on River Street.

Jesse Hill Ford

Jesse Hill Ford is perhaps one of Savannah’s most infamous rogues and heroes. Jesse was born Moses Stevens, heir to wealthy master tailor Simon Ford. He changed his name after being dubbed Jesse Hill by locals due to his wild behavior and numerous escapades as he was growing up in Liberty County in Georgia. The Ford family leased several plantations throughout Liberty County during this time period and though plenty was done to keep young Jesse out of trouble, nothing seemed to work.

Jesse eventually moved to Savannah where he became something of a mystery man; some would call him an idler and a ne’er-do-well while others saw him as a sort of folk hero. He seemed to have an uncanny knack for disappearances followed by unexpected reappearances; often he would turn up with a pocketful of coins after seeming stints at sea or rougher professions like grave digging or blacksmithing.

Jesse enlisted in the Confederate Army in 1861 with the 2nd Georgia Regiment under General William Russell Jr—a general who Jesse had served under before during a stint as a volunteer fireman in Savannah. After being sent home due to serving out of state beyond he agreed upon term, Jesse went on to make several attempts at coming back before finally settling down to shipbuilding after being given amnesty by President Andrew Johnson in 1865.

Throughout his life Jesse Hill Ford continued to enliven Savannah with his enthusiasm and stories—mostly romanticized versions of his adventures—cementing himself as an integral part of Savannah’s legacy whether as an enemy or friend to the people of that time.

Conclusion

Savannah is full of rich cultural history that often includes members from all walks of life; rogues, rascals and heroes alike. Jean Lafitte, Joseph Eggelletion and Jesse Hill Ford are just some famous characters who have left their mark on the city’s past, remembered fondly by many. If you’d like to know more about these characters or others like them why not join a Savannah Rogues Rascals and Heroes Historic Cigar Crawl, hosted by native guides eager to share the stories from their city’s past? Join one of these tours today and immerse yourself in history that’s too wild for your average textbook!