When St. Louis was under Spanish rule, there had sprung up quite a brisk commerce between that settlement and New Orleans.  But the shores of the majestic Mississippi were then infested by large bands of robbers, watching to attack and plunder boats, as they ascended and descended the stream.  There were two leaders of one of these large bands, by the name of Culbert and Magilbray, who, occupying commanding points, were carrying on a regular system of river piracy.

In the year 1739, a merchant by the name of Beausoliel, had sailed from New Orleans, in a barge richly freighted with goods, bound for St. Louis.  The robbers, pushing out from the shore in their light canoes, and well armed, captured the boat without a struggle.  They ordered the owner and the crew into the little cabin and fastened them in.

There was a negro on board, a very remarkable man, by the name of Cacasotte.  Though carved in ebony, he had great beauty of countenance, and wonderful grace and strength of person.  His native, mental endowments were also of a high order.  This man, Cacasotte, as soon as the barge was taken, assumed to be greatly overjoyed.  He danced, sang and laughed, declaring that he would no longer live in irksome slavery, but that he would join the band, and enjoy liberty among the freebooters as their attendant.

He was so jovial, and so attentive, in anticipating all their wants, that he won their confidence, and they all thought that he would be a valuable addition to their company.  He was thus permitted to roam over the boat, unmolested and unwatched.  He formed a plan in all its details, for the recapture of the boat, and the liberation of the crew.  This plan he succeeded in communicating to his master.  Mr. Beausoliel had his earthly all in the boat, and he also expected that the pirates would take their lives.  He was therefore ready to adopt any plan, however desperate, which gave any promise of success.  We have the following account given in “The Great West,” of the plan the negro formed and of its successful accomplishment.

“Cacasotte was cook, and it was agreed, between him and his fellow conspirators, likewise too negroes, that the signal for dinner should also be the signal for action.  When the hour arrived, the robbers assembled in considerable numbers on the deck, and stationed themselves on the bow and stern and along the sides, to prevent any rising of the men.  Cacasotte went among them with the most unconcerned demeanor imaginable.  As soon as his comrades had taken their assigned stations he placed himself at the bow, near one of the robbers, a stout herculean fellow, who was armed cap-a-pie.  Cacasotte gave the preconcerted signal, and immediately the robber near him was struggling in the water.  With the speed of lightning he ran from one robber to another, as they were sitting on the sides of the boat and, in a few seconds’ time, had thrown several of them overboard.  Then seizing an oar he struck on the head those who had attempted to save themselves by grappling the running boards.  He then shot with rifles, which had been dropped on deck, those who attempted to swim away.  In the meantime his companions had done almost as much execution as their leader.”