Jacob Ammen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jacob Ammen
|
|
|---|---|
Jacob Ammen
photo taken between 1861 and 1865 |
|
| Born | January 7, 1806 Fincastle, Virginia |
| Died | February 6, 1894 (aged 87) Lockland, Ohio |
| Place of burial |
Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati, Ohio
|
| Allegiance | United States of America Union |
| Service/ |
United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1831–1837, 1861–1865 |
| Rank | Brigadier General |
| Commands held | 4th Division, XXIII Corps Camp Douglas |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
| Relations | Daniel Ammen |
| Other work | College professor, civil engineer |
Jacob Ammen (born January 7, 1806 – died February 6, 1894) was an important person during the American Civil War. He was a college professor and an engineer. He also became a general in the Union Army. His younger brother, Daniel Ammen, was an admiral in the United States Navy.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jacob Ammen was born in Fincastle, Virginia. When he was young, his family moved to Georgetown, Ohio. There, he went to school. He was a very good student. In 1831, he graduated with honors from the United States Military Academy. This school is often called West Point.
After graduating, Ammen worked as an assistant professor at West Point. He was also a second lieutenant in the 1st U.S. Artillery. He helped train soldiers in the Georgetown militia. He was also stationed in Charleston Harbor. This was during a time called the Nullification Crisis.
A Career in Teaching and Engineering
In 1837, Ammen left the Army. He then became a math teacher. He taught at colleges in Kentucky and Missouri. From 1840 to 1843, he was in charge of the math department at Indiana University.
Later, he taught again in Kentucky and Missouri. In 1855, he moved to Ripley, Ohio. There, he started working as a civil engineer. This job involves designing and building things like roads and bridges.
Jacob Ammen in the Civil War
The American Civil War began in April 1861. Just one week after the attack on Fort Sumter, Ammen rejoined the army. He became a captain in the 12th Ohio Infantry. Soon after, he was made a colonel of the 24th Ohio Infantry.
After training, Ammen's regiment went to western Virginia. They fought their first battle at Battle of Cheat Mountain. Later, his troops moved to the Western Theater. This was a major area of fighting. Ammen led a brigade (a group of soldiers) in the Army of the Ohio. They fought in the Battle of Shiloh and the Siege of Corinth.
Ammen was promoted to brigadier general on July 16, 1862. In August, he took command of a division. This was a larger group of soldiers. He replaced General William "Bull" Nelson.
Later War Service
General Ammen's health became poor. So, he took on different duties for almost a year. In early 1863, he commanded Camp Douglas in Illinois. This was a large camp for soldiers. He also commanded other army posts.
In late 1863, he returned to the battlefield. He led the Fourth Division of the XXIII Corps. In September 1864, his 800 soldiers blocked an important railroad. This was the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad at Bull's Gap, Tennessee. This happened during Stephen G. Burbridge's Saltville raid. Ammen left the army in January 1865, shortly before the war ended.
After the War
After the war, Ammen continued his work as a surveyor and civil engineer. He worked in Hamilton County, Ohio. In 1872, he bought a farm near Beltsville, Maryland. Two years later, he helped explore possible routes for the famous Panama Canal.
In 1875, he served on the board of visitors at West Point. He later retired to Wyoming, Ohio, which is close to Cincinnati. In his later years, he became blind. In 1891, he moved in with his son in Lockland, Ohio. Jacob Ammen died there on February 6, 1894. He was buried in the Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati.
