Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 555

The Golden Wings of the Gulf by Colonel Prentiss Ingraham is a romance of buccaneering set in post-1812 New Orleans. The narrative opens with a government committee debating whether to execute Leo Lafitte, son of the deceased pirate Jean Lafitte, after he captured the British brig-of-war Vulture and surrendered it as a prize. Though pardoned for prior services defending New Orleans, Leo faces execution for sailing without authority. Governor Claiborne advocates for the youth, while naval Captain De La Tour—who harbors personal grievances against the Lafitte family—demands his hanging. Leo, warned by Sister Mercedes at the convent, receives a letter urging him to flee rather than face arrest. The letter references his heroic rescue of Mademoiselle De La Tour (now Sister Felicite) from outlaws, a deed he modestly concealed. Leo, conflicted by ingratitude despite his capture of the British vessel, contemplates his uncertain fate.