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NaJoPoMo #17 Lieutenant Leib Part V
Posted Nov 17, 2014
Shortly after returning to the schooner, Leib decided to have the crew engage in a contest to see who could build the best kite. His idea was to produce a simple kite that could fly up to the platform carrying a rope that would then give them access to the light keeper.
By dawn they had been joined by the merchant schooner 'Pee Dee' of Indian Key. Whether or not her captain had met Leib in his week long stay on the island has not been recorded, in any event he offered one of his boats and its crew to aid in the rescue attempt. .
The wind did not make the kite idea practical, in the end Leib resorted to tying a string or length or twine to the ramrod of one of the muskets and firing it through one of the openings between the railing posts. When the other end reached ground they started passing heavier lengths of rope through the railing until they could hoist a block with a tackle attached to the platform. The keeper was able to secure the block to the railing. They managed to fashion a harness and lowered the keeper safely to the ground.
Once he was safe, given a bit of food and drink he began to tell his story. When the Seminoles attacked he and his assistant rushed to the tower and managed to bolt the door behind them just as he Seminoles reached the far side. It did not take long before they decided to burn their way in. The keeper and his helper quickly made their way to the top of the tower. The Seminoles then set fire to the stairs after they had gotten through the door. 'Anytime we moved to the edge of the platform to escape the heat of the fire they shot up at us from the ground. When I saw my assistant was dead I was sure I would join him shortly.'
'I decided that if death was inevitable, sooner was better than waiting for later and suffering in the meantime. We had a small keg of gunpowder on the platform for just such an emergency.'
'I picked up the keg and threw it down the conductor, expecting to be instantly killed by the explosion. Not only did I survive the blast, but the concussion was powerful enough to extinguish the flames, at least temporarily.'
Convinced that the men on the tower were both dead the Indians turned their attentions to looting the cottage and out-buildings.
Leib carried the keeper as far as Key West where the 'Motto' waited for another week to have her rudder properly repaired. By the time they sailed the light house keeper was on his way to recovery, even though he would always have a limp from the severity of his wounds.
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NaJoPoMo #16 Lieutenant Leib Part IV
Posted Nov 16, 2014
After leaving the burned wreck of the 'Gil Blas' it was clear that another major task lay before them as they watched the flames reflecting from the clouds above. With wind and currents against them they were forced to anchor for the night. When they got underway at dawn the Motto's captain decided to take the safer course on the Atlantic side of the island, as the rudder was still unreliable. Leib convinced him to first hoist out the boats so could have his men row down the bay, believing it would be quicker. The distance was about 5 1/2 miles for a bird, but they would spend most of the day rowing around the shallows before they reached the lighthouse.
After an hour or so they found an abandoned canoe that contained cooking utensils that could have been looted from the light keeper's cottage. After another mile the found the keeper's small sloop boat (a small sail boat about 30 feet or less in length with a single mast, as opposed to a 'sloop of war', a medium sized war ship mounting from 22 to 28 cannons and about 200 feet long, with 3 masts) loaded with food from the light house's pantry. They decided to sink the canoe and take the boat in tow instead. They arrived at the light house about at 5:00 PM and left a few men on the anchored sloop boat to cover their landing.
When they arrived at the compound they found the cottage and out building destroyed. The badly burned body of the keeper's helper lay twisted at the bottom of the tower, while the keeper* lay on the narrow wrought iron balcony near the top of the 60 foot tall lighthouse. A brief inspection found that the spiral stair that had led to the platform had been reduced to a pile of charred rubble at the bottom of the tower. Although still alive, the keeper had been badly wounded in his feet and lower legs by the rifles firing up at him. Although they considered all the material available, they could not devise any way to rescue the keeper at the time.
With the light fading they reluctantly left him and returned to the 'Motto', which had arrived at the road-stead, promising to return in the morning with a solution to his predicament.
*He was officially the Assistant Keeper, as Keeper himself was away at Key West with his family.
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NaJoPoMo #15 Lieutenant Leib Part III
Posted Nov 15, 2014
On 7 July 1836 Lieutenant Leib was order to join the Army Transport Schooner 'Motto' in command of a group of sailors and marines with three tasks to complete. The 'Motto' was apparently leased by the Army, as part of Leib's orders included a line that he was at no time to take an active part in the command of the vessel.
His first task was to deliver two artillery pieces to the island of Key West, which was accomplished without any problems.
The second was to call at Indian Key, near the centre of the chain of islands (the Florida Keys), to determine if they were storing an inordinate amount of gun powder, and remove any he thought was excessive to prevent the possibility of it falling into enemy hands. On entering the harbour the 'Motto' had her rudder knocked off by an uncharted rock. This caused them to spend almost a full week there to, at least temporarily, repair the damage. This forced Leib and his men to remain on the island while the ship could not sail. We do not if the populace were aware that the schooner was damaged, after he left Leib received many letters of thanks for letting his force spend so much time with them. He determined that the powder supply was only adequate for defence of the island. Near the end of the war the island was over run and all the buildings burned to the ground, but that was years away.
The third task was to locate the 'Gil Blas' and make sure her cargo was safe from the Seminoles. After all the delays the 'Motto' managed to anchor off the wreck of the 'Gil Blas' on 24 July. Leib had several of his men inspect the wreck, but they could find no lead, and little else of use. As a precaution Leib ordered the wreck to be burned so she might be reduced to sand and leave no sign for others to find her and conduct their own search.
The would be salvagers filed a suit against the government that would not be satisfied until the 1860's. In the end the court ruled that they had been wronged, but as they could not prove the value of their loss, the judgement did not award them any money.
As the 'Motto' sailed back to the south they saw the flames of another fire before them.
Next time we will arrive at the Florida Lighthouse.
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NaJoPoMo #14 Lieutenant Leib Part II
Posted Nov 14, 2014
Lieutenant Leib was ordered to join the sloop of war 'Concord' on 8 January, 1836. She was preparing for sea at the Portsmouth Naval Station under the command of Master Commandant M P Mix (he was known as 'Captain' as he was in command of the ship). The Portsmouth Station is located on an island in the river that forms the border between New Hampshire and Maine, near the city of Portsmouth New Hampshire. Many people confuse this with larger base far to the south near Portsmouth Virginia, but that one is more properly called 'Gosport'.
The authorities at Naval Headquarters knew that the ship was bound for the West India Squadron and saw no need to provide heavy coats and extra blankets for the crew. The winter of 1835-1836 was particularly cold, and even after several weeks at sea Captain Mix reported that almost a third of the crew were still on the sick list from the ill effects of the cold when he reached Havana, Cuba.
They soon headed north to Tampa Bay as The situation with the Native Americans was devolving rapidly A87734488 When they arrived at the bay they found the 'Vandallia' was acting as a miniature flag ship directing the movements of three 'Revenue Cutters' that had been commandeered by the navy to probe the local rivers. Captain Mix and the Concord soon assumed this task to allow the other ship to sail for Pensacola and report on their status.
As the months passed one of the major duties of the Naval ships was to prevent gun powder and bullets to be delivered to the Seminoles. For the most part this consisted of patrolling the strait to prevent the Spanish from transporting items from Cuba. It was feared they might support the Seminoles in the hope the United States would give up and they could regain control of the territory.
A Spanish merchant brig (two masted ship) had been driven ashore by a hurricane the last fall. A group of local settlers had started to salvage the wreck, but they had been driven away by a Seminole attack in early January. Apparently they had put a claim in to the government for the value of all the items they could no longer hope to recover among the many items listed was a large quantity of lead (bullets were cast from lead). This caught the attention of the Army and it was decided that this cargo must be recovered at all costs before it could fall into enemy hands.
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NaJoPoMo #13 Lieutenant Leib - Part I
Posted Nov 13, 2014
It took almost seven months before Leib was assigned to his next ship after his promotion. There were many long periods of unemployment in the peace-time Navy. He was sent to the schooner 'Shark', another of the smallest ships on the Navy's list. Her duty was to patrol the slave coast of Africa and intercept any ship that was carrying a human cargo. The 'cargo' of any ships captured would be taken to the country of Liberia, where they would be safe from future capture. After returning by way of the Caribbean, she docked in New York harbour on 5 July, 1827.
She did not discharge her crew and officers, but was instead sent to northern waters to protect the rights of American fishermen in the international waters off Newfoundland. She Returned of 6 October 1827, and Lieutenant Lieb was granted what would prove to be a fairly long leave. He would make good use of it.
On 19 June, 1828, he married Caroline Matilda Harrison at her father's estate 'Priestly Lodge'. If the genealogy stated earlier is correct they were first cousins, but this may have not been a concern at the time and place.
Their first child was born on 1 September, 1829. A boy, he was named John Lewis, this may be another indication that Thomas was the son of Judge Leib. He was followed by a sister, Lydia Virginia on 7 December, 1830.
0n 9 June, 1831 Leib was again given a post, this time on the 'Receiving Ship 'Seagull' at the Philadelphia Naval Yard. A 'Receiving Ship' are vessels assigned at various ports as a place for new recruits and men waiting for a ship getting ready for sea until she is ready to 'receive' them aboard.
The 'Seagull' herself has an interesting story, as she was probably the first steamship to be used in combat. She had been built as a river steamer and was purchased by the Navy in 1822. She was converted to a proper Navy ship with the addition of masts and sails and sent to the Caribbean to fight pirates, She was active there at the same time Lieb was aboard the 'Congress', and he had almost certainly seen her at sea - if not actually engaged in action. Serving on a ship docked so close to home must have been a welcome relief compared to spending years far away. He was again granted leave on 3 October, 1831.
In January of 1832 Leib was instructed to travel to Boston to join the brig 'Boxer', although she was a small ship she had just been built and was starting her first voyage. This time he would find himself on the Brazil station. With all of instability and revolutions in Central and south America, the government had decided that several ships should be available to protect US merchants in the area. In July, 1833 Lieutenant Leib was transferred to the sloop of war 'Warren' (a medium class of ship) off the river Plate. The ship returned to New York on 31 October and Leib was once again on his way home by 8 November,1833
The birth of his second daughter Mary Jacoba on 13 August, 1834 may indicate how he spent his time at home, however he was serving on the 'Receiving Ship' at New York by the time of her birth.
In the next section he will head to the war in Florida.
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