The Harrowing Adventure of Captain Charles Leib

To My readers: this short story is based upon my book “The Most Hated Man in Clarksburg” I hope that you enjoy the story!

By Peter Taylor

It was April 1862, and it had been an exhausting week in Washington DC. Captain Charles Leib had been ordered to Washington City to appear before a congressional committee regarding his duties as the Quartermaster at a small military outpost in western Virginia. He had been accused of misuse of government funds and personally profiting from his position in Clarksburg, Virginia.

During the hearings he had acquitted himself professionally and had managed to demonstrate to the committee that he was a competent and honest man. He had indicated that the reason for these accusations was that the wealthy men of the town, men he described as secessionists, had expected to profit immensely from the massive movements of men and supplies through the Clarksburg Depot. He had thwarted their efforts and had made bitter enemies of these Squires of the First Families of Virginia.

The morning he departed for his post he was driven in a carriage to the train depot accompanied by Louisa, the wife of his long-time friend General Montgomery Meigs, the Quartermaster General of the entire Union Army. As they rode they talked.

“Charles, I’m glad that things went so well for you. Monty has to appear before these congressional committees often and every time that he comes home he’s terribly depressed. It’s good to see that you’re in such good spirits after these tedious inquiries by men who really have little or no interest in the realities of the difficulties of being a Quartermaster. I much preferred it when Monty was a simple Engineer officer. He loved accomplishing construction tasks. This serving at a higher headquarters is disturbing to him.

The two of you have been good friends ever since he met you in Dubuque, Iowa those many years ago. He told me how you were working there as a doctor and that you managed to save the leg of one of his soldiers who had been injured.

So why did you give up medicine and become a soldier? I’ve never heard that part of your story. I don’t think that Monty ever told me why you left the medical profession.”

“Louisa, I was hoodwinked into participating in a nefarious plot during the ‘Bleeding Kansas’ affair and I felt that I had violated my Hippocratic Oath; I could no longer serve as a doctor. You see I let my own personal greed get the better of me and I’ve regretted it ever since. Unbeknownst to me I participated in smuggling weapons and ammunition to the pro-Union members of the Kansas militia, the ‘Jayhawkers’. These guns were used to kill innocent settlers who supported the pro-slavery constitution during that terrible affair. When I found what I had done I gave up medicine.”

As they rode along he told Louisa of his time in Illinois working first as a newspaper editor in Chicago and then as the Illinois State Postal Inspector. He told her about meeting Abraham Lincoln and supporting his candidacy for the presidency and how he had accompanied the President-elect to Washington as a member of Lincoln’s ‘Frontier Guard’.

When they arrived at the station Louisa told him that he was to visit her and Monty anytime that he was in Washington on business or pleasure. She provided him with a picnic basket full of treats for his trip and bid him a warm farewell; wishing him a safe journey.

Captain Charles Leib wasn’t a professional soldier. Leib was less than an imposing figure. His high pitched voice, and his clipped Philadelphia accent immediately established him as a member of the Northern elite. He had started to go bald early in life. His ruddy complexion, rotund appearance, and political insensitivity didn’t endear him with the opposite gender. He was a rather ‘sloppy’ dresser when in civilian clothes. However, he was an educated and well-traveled gentleman and a man of good taste. Those that really knew him felt comfortable in his presence.

This was the man that boarded the train in Washington City. He sat in a first-class car on the way to Relay, Maryland where he changed trains heading to Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. Here he would again change cars for the trip to Grafton. Once again he would change cars on the Northwestern Virginia Railroad for the short ride to Clarksburg, the location of his military assignment. He had elected not to wear his military uniform, which he carried in a valise, on the trip. He carried his ever present medical bag as well as Louisa’s picnic basket.

When they stopped at Harper’s Ferry passengers were allowed to leave the train and ‘stretch their legs’ . When the whistle blew summonsing them back to the train Captain Leib was met by a platoon of soldiers who boarded the train in the freight cars. There were reports that the infamous bushwhacker, Captain “Hanse” McNeil and his raiders were active along the line.

He sat with a young First Lieutenant from an artillery unit that had been raised in Connecticut. Lieutenant Johnson was returning from a short furlough visiting his family. Johnson was returning to his unit stationed at New Creek where they provided support for units guarding the strategic Chesapeake and Ohio canal and the B&O Railroad.

Lieutenant Johnson was a highly educated man. He was tall and lanky and had the most beautiful hazel eyes Leib had ever seen. He had graduated from Yale with a degree in mathematics, and he hoped, when the war was over, to return to his home and teach in the local academy. He hoped to continue his education and eventually teach at the university level. Johnson and Charles Leib spent the hours discussing politics and the current military situation. Charles opened his picnic and shared the bread, cheeses and a bottle of good wine with the Lieutenant as they discussed a variety of topics. It was good to ride with a gentleman!

Further along the line they stopped at the small depot in Paw-Paw. Leib was impressed; there were over 10,000 federal troops encamped in this tiny area. Tent cities could be seen for miles in the fields and pastures. When they stopped he noted that a number of soldiers got off the train and another platoon boarded. He assumed that they were the guard force to protect the train from the bandits and raiders who sometimes were known to infest the area.

As they left Paw-Paw he noticed the large number of canal barges that were carrying supplies along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal destined for Washington City. He was informed that these barges were waiting their turn to transit the six-tenths of a mile long tunnel at Paw-Paw. Only one boat was allowed to enter the tunnel at a time. But this avoided an almost six mile treacherous portion of the Potomac River.

They passed through Little Cacapon Station and picked up some additional passengers at the depot there. Leib was informed by one passenger that this small town had already changed hands thirty five time since the beginning of the war. If they were going to experience any trouble he anticipated that it would be between here and New Creek. There were reports of a rebel band raiding along the rail.

The train pulled out of Little Cacapon Station on time heading west. It was an enjoyable trip along the rail. At most bridges they would pass by wooden fortifications called ‘block houses’ where soldiers stood guard to protect the trains and the tracks in the area. However, there was a lot of concern near the hamlet of Okonoko. The blockhouse guarding the rail was destroyed, probably by fire and the normal guards were nowhere to be seen. It appeared that recently there had been a skirmish or a battle in the area. They could see that the track had been recently repaired, but where was the guard force?

A few miles after they left Okonoko the train whistle began to blow, and the train slowed to a stop; the road was blocked by a number of large trees that had been dropped onto the rails. The soldiers guarding the train quickly got out of the cars and formed a skirmish line. Lieutenant Johnson, the only officer present in uniform, raced to the front to command the soldiers. Suddenly those in the cars saw the ragtag rebels storming from the woods surrounding the cars and firing into the heavily outnumbered Union soldiers. The fight was brief.

The detachment of soldiers were quickly either killed, wounded, or taken prisoner. Young Lieutenant Johnson, his recent travel mate, had been killed as he tried unsuccessfully to rally the Union troops. Leib had watched in horror as the lieutenant was cut down by one of McNeil’s horsemen.

 The rebel chief entered the car that Leib was in and told the occupants that he was Captain ‘Hanse’ McNeill and that they were his prisoners.

Lieb quickly sized up his adversary.

John “Hanse” McNeil was a large man. He stood out from the majority of his men because he wore a fine butternut gray uniform indicating that he held a commission as a Captain in the Confederate Army. He was a striking individual with a heavy long beard that was well-trimmed. He had piercing brown eyes and spoke gruffly in a commanding way. He was polite to all of the women present and allowed them to remain seated in the cars and ordered his men to be respectful to the ladies. He allowed the Union captives to recover their dead and respectfully moved the bodies into one of the freight cars so that they could be returned to the garrison in New Creek for a proper burial.

Leib was in civilian attire at the time with his uniform in his valise, which was stored in the baggage compartment. McNeill’s men searched each of the men and confiscated their wallets, watches, and other valuables ‘all for the support of the Confederacy!’ All of the male passengers were ordered off the train and detained as their pockets were fleeced and their identities were verified.

Corporal Runion Stewart, one of McNeill’s men was guarding the men from the train. Stewart was shabbily clothed in mostly civilian garb. The only way that he was recognizable as a soldier was that he wore a large black belt across his chest and on that belt he sported an upside buckle that he probably retrieved from a dead Union soldier. This, he supposed, would keep him safe if he was ever captured and designate him as a Confederate soldier rather than a partisan raider or a spy. Corporal Stewart spotted Leib and reported:

“’Captain Hanse,’ I know this here man. He ain’t no civilian, in fact he’s in the Union Army and he’s the Quartermaster in Clarksburg. I’d known him anywhere. I was doin’ some scoutin’ in town and even went as far as to talk to this man at the quartermaster’s. He’s an officer in the Army, a Captain I think. He’s the one that forced Mr. Marsh, a prosperous and influential man in Clarksburg, to swear that despicable oath of allegiance to the Union in order to allow Eli to leave town. You know Eli Marsh, ‘Hanse,’ you’ve had dealings with him before this blasted war broke out. He’s a friend of ours and this man persecuted him.”

Leib had been found out. He was taken prisoner and held with the rest of the soldiers. When asked, he identified himself as Captain Charles Leib, Assistant Quartermaster General for the Mountain Department of the United States Army. He explained that he was traveling and not in uniform but that he expected to be treated with the respect that was demanded for any military officer of his rank. Before leaving, they ripped up the rails ahead of the train and threatened to fire the entire train if the engineer made any attempt to notify the authorities in New Creek of the raid.

The unwounded prisoners were roped together and marched behind a wagon that contained their loot and their two men and Union soldiers who had been wounded in the skirmish. One of the items taken from the train was Leib’s medical bag and another bag from a doctor that was an elderly gentleman on the train. Leib explained to Captain McNeill that he was trained as a medical doctor and offered to treat the wounded; an offer that was eagerly accepted. At one point the wagon train stopped, and Leib did what he could for the wounded men. He bound up their wounds and applied pressure and tourniquets to contro; the bleeding. By nightfall, the small band of perhaps thirty rebels stopped to make camp for the evening. During the stop the sergeant of the captured men whispered to Captain Leib that they had a plan to escape into the woods and make their way to New Creek. He wondered if Captain Leib would lead them.

“Sergeant Morris, what are our chances of making this escape?”

“Well, Sir, we can’t take the wounded with us, but they will be taken care of. One of my corporals comes from this part of the county; in fact, a couple of the rebels we saw are kinsmen or former neighbors of his. He knows all of the back roads and game trails and he’s willing to lead us out of here and back to safety. We can’t take the wounded with us, but they’ll be well treated.

‘Hanse’ McNeill is a good Christian gentleman, and he won’t harm the injured.”

Later that evening, one by one, the soldiers managed to slip pass their guards. Corporal Terry, a soldier who had enlisted from the county, led them down some game trails and deeper into the mountains. By dawn they knew that their escape had been uncovered. Captain Leib, Sergeant Morris, and Corporal Terry had managed to get themselves and eight other men past the guards. With Terry in the lead they crossed small streams and avoided known secessionist houses and managed to find the railroad.

About noon the haggard, tired, and hungry men found a small group of soldiers guarding a bridge and reported the raid. The Sergeant of the Guard, a man from the Sixth Virginia Infantry recognized Captain Leib. He had been one of the soldiers who Leib had hired to construct his warehouses at the Clarksburg depot. He immediately sent a message to New Creek asking for support for these escapees. A few hours later a Major from New Creek along with a platoon of cavalrymen arrived and escorted them back to the safety of the New Creek Garrison.

After making their initial report of the incident to the Garrison Commander they were fed and given a place to sleep. Captain Leib was taken to a local hotel for the evening. After what he’d been through over the past few days he slept soundly. In the morning after a fine breakfast of ham and eggs and good strong coffee he reported back to the Garrison Commander, Colonel Patterson, where he was debriefed. Captain Leib explained that the leader of the rebel raiders had identified himself as Captain John ‘Hanse’ McNeill. He had about twenty-five to thirty men with him.

“Sir, they were the most motley group of soldiers I’ve ever seen. With the exception of Captain McNeil none of them had uniforms. They wore a captured US belt buckle upside down to identify themselves as members of the Confederate army. This Captain McNeill was very courteous to me and took good care of our wounded men. I served him as the unit’s surgeon during our brief imprisonment, and he gave me consideration of my rank as an officer and a doctor and allowed me some degree of freedom. I didn’t give my word that I wouldn’t try to escape, and Sergeant Morris and Corporal Terry were considerate enough to allow me to accompany them during their evasion attempt. If I’d been left in the hands of McNeill I’d probably be on my way to a prisoner of war camp or Libby Prison in Richmond right now.”

“Well Captain Leib you’ve woven an exciting story. You and your men have done us a great service in identifying the whereabouts of this scoundrel, McNeill. We’ll send out some patrols and see if we can flush out this marauder and his band. There’s a train coming through here in a few hours and I’ll see to it that you have transportation back to Clarksburg.”

As he boarded the train to Clarksburg, Captain Leib reflected upon his recent trip. He counted his blessings. His friend, General Montgomery Meigs, had helped him defend his honor against a group of hostile congressmen who had been misinformed about his dealings as the Assistant Quartermaster General in Clarksburg.

He had experienced a peaceful home setting with his friend, Monty, and his lovely wife, Louisa. He had enjoyed a couple of fine meals with Monty’s family and he and his host reminisced about their days together in Iowa. Monty offered him much ‘fatherly advice’ about his quartermaster responsibilities and duties. Louisa had prepared an excellent picnic for his return trip. He had an opportunity to meet a nice young, but unfortunate, lieutenant who had gloriously rallied his men and attempted to drive off the raiders; and was killed in the process. In his report to Colonel Patterson Leib recognized Lieutenant Johnson for his bravery in stepping forward and organizing their defense.

He had met the infamous raider and bushwhacker ‘Hanse’ McNeil and been allowed to once again practice his training as a medical doctor caring for the injured and wounded men. He found his enemy to be a very considerate and christen gentlemen, an honorable foe, and an excellent leader of his men.

Captain Leib had participated in a daring escape from McNeil’s encampment relying on Corporal Terry to show them the unobserved trails and game paths that took them through the mountains and returned them to Union territory. He was honored by the commander of the garrison at New Creek for his gallantry in leading the survivors of the attack back to friendly lines and accurately reporting the location of the rebel forces that had been raiding and destroying the critical Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.

It had been a trying yet exciting couple of days. He regretted the loss of Lieutenant Johnson and the wounded men that he left to the mercy of the Confederate commander. But he felt that he had led the survivors to freedom, freedom from the dreaded Confederate POW Camps; perhaps saving their lives. He finally felt like a real soldier rather than just a paper-pusher at the garrison headquarters. He had been thrust into a leadership role and he and his men had successfully evaded recapture and could return to their duties.

When he reported back to Clarksburg and debriefed Colonel Stanley on what had happened the Colonel could see a changed man. Leib was more confident, more poised, and ready to resume his duties and ready to fight those who wished to destroy him.

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