I had wondered. I've read the wonderful series of 1830s mysteries set in New Orleans by Barbara Hambly (well researched, starting with Free Man of Color) and all of the information you lay out is in there, as well as the fact that things were really still shaking down between the French and the Americans, so maybe the "foreign money" refrence fits that. Some of those guys did survive (There is a pretty remarkable St. Patrick's Day celebration to this day in New Orleans, but perhaps that's just the partying city celebrating whenever given a chance?)