Daniel Ammen

Daniel Ammen (May 15, 1820 – July 11, 1898) was a U.S. naval officer during the American Civil War and the Reconstruction era, as well as a prolific author. His last assignment in the Navy was Chief of the Bureau of Navigation. His older brother was Jacob Ammen, who became a brigadier general in the Union Army. They both attended the same school as Ulysses S. Grant, who was best friends with Daniel. As children, Ammen rescued Grant from drowning.

Ammen entered the Navy as a midshipman on 7 July 1836 and following the basic training, he was attached to the newly commissioned supply ship USS Relief, which was preparing for the Wilkes Exploring Expedition to Antarctica. Before he could depart for South Ocean, he was transferred to the frigate USS Macedonian in July 1837 and then transferred to USS Levant in March 1838. Ammen sailed for West Indies and while there, he was transferred to USS Vandalia.

In March 1840, Ammen was attached to USS Preble and took part in a cruise along the coast of Labrador, the Preble sailed for the Mediterranean Sea in January 1841 to join the squadron of Commodore Charles W. Morgan. In May that year he was transferred to the USS Ohio, in which he returned to Boston, Massachusetts, in July 1841.

In October 1864, Ammen was appointed commander of the USS Mohican and commanded Mohican during the attacks on Fort Fisher in December 1864 and January 1865. Ammen served with the Bureau of Navigation until his retirement from the Navy on June 4, 1878.

After retirement, Ammen lived in Beltsville, Maryland. He later purchased a farm twelve miles from Washington, D.C., at Ammendale, a station named in his honor. The Ammendale Normal Institute was built there with his support in 1880. Ammen was married and had one son, Ulysses Grant Ammen (1871–1913), who served as Paymaster in the Navy.

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