[2] On July 27, 1843, Lugenbeel was appointed colonial physician by the American Colonization Society (ACS).
He was also appointed United States Government Agent for Recaptured Africans the same year.
[4] Lugenbeel set sail for Liberia on September 25, 1843, arriving in the colony on November 16.
In December 1845, Lugenbeel succeeded in taking care of 756 recaptives, saved from a slave ship, after the duty was unexpectedly given to him.
In April 1846, Lugenbeel returned to the United States due to ill health.