Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History
Benson Lossing, Ed.

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Ammen, Daniel, 1820-1898

Naval officer; born in Brown county, O., May 15, 1820; entered the navy as a midshipman in 1836. In 1861-62 he commanded the gunboat Seneca in the South Atlantic blockading fleet. His bravery was conspicuous in the battle of Port Royal, Nov. 7, 1861. Later, under Dupont's command, he took part in all the operations on the coasts of Georgia and. Florida. In the engagements with Fort McAllister, March 3, 1863, and with Fort Sumter, April 7, 1863, he commanded the monitor Patapsco. In the attacks on Fort Fisher, in December, 1864, and January, 1865, he commanded the Mohican. He was promoted to rear-admiral in 1877, and was retired June 4, 1878. Afterwards he was a member of the board to locate the new Naval Observatory, and a representative of the United States at the Interoceanic Ship Canal Congress in Paris. He designed a cask balsa to facilitate the landing of troops and field artillery; a life-raft for steamers; and the steel ram Katahdin. His publications include The Atlantic coast in The Navy in the Civil War series; Recollections of Grant; and The old Navy and the New. He died in Washington, D. C., July 11, 1898.