The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-12
DEATH OF 4 NAVAL HERO
REAR ADMIRAL AMMEN, WHO
SERVED ALMOST HALF a CENTURY.
Commanded the Seneca and Monitor
PatapscO During the War. and
Designed the katahdin.

WASHINGTON. July 1.-Rear Admiral
Ammen. one of the heroes of the civil war.
died at the Naval Hospital here this morn
ing, aged seventy-eight years. He had been
at the hospital for ten months, and death
was due TO general enfeebement of the sys
tenn. He leaves three daughters. unmarried
and two sons, one a paymaster in the navy
he was well known here, where ne had
lived many years. He served in the navy
within six months of & half century.
Daniel Ammen was born in Ohio May 10,
1929, and entered the navy as a midshipman
in 1886. He first served as a passed mid
shipman in the Wilkes exploring expedition
in the Mediterranean in 1898. In 1S49
while ranking as a lieutenant, he was at
tached to a commission to select a site for
naval station in the Bay of San Fran
cisco, later accompanying d scientific expe-
dtion on the steamer Waterwitch TO the
Paraguay river. He was executive officer
of the North Atlantic blockadng squadron
at the outbreak of the rebellion. At the re-
duction of Port Royal, Nov T. 1861, he COM
manded the Seneca, of the South Atlantic
blockading squadron. and was sent ashore
to hoist the Union flag over the surrendered
forts and to hold them until the army took
possession. He commanded the forces en-
tering, via Whale Branch in the attack on
Fort Royal ferry, and was also engaged in
the operations against Fernandina He
commanded the monitor Patapsco in the at
tack on Fort McAllister and Fort Sumter
In May, 1864, he was ordered to Aspinwall.
IN command of 220 seamen. as passengers on
board the California passenger steamer
ocean queen Two days out from New
FORK well-organized attempt at mutiny
was. suppressed by him, aided by several
offlcers and few volunteers among the
passengers. Subsequently Admiral Ammen
participated in the two attacks on Fort
Fisher, in the winter of 1S64-65 He reached
the grade of rear admiral in 1889 OF his
service twenty-one years and one month
were spent at sea. He was a delegate to
tho lnteroceanic ship canal congress at
Paris in 1879, and was a member of the naval
advisory board in 1881. He wrote several
books
Admiral Ammen desigred the ram Katah-
din, the queerest of all the vessels in the
navy and the only ship of it's kind in the
world. The Katahdin depends wholly upon
ner ramming powers for either attack or de-
tense The ram is solid piece of hard
ened steel weighing about five tons 1t is
conical in shape, and placed on the bow of
the vessel below the water line. When go
ing at full speed the ram has a striking
tCrce OF about 100000 foot tons per minute
or enough force to drive a hole in an ordi-
nary armcred battle ship. The construc-
ton OF the vessel is such that it would be
almost impossible for the shells from an
Snemys guns 20 cause any damage to her
Inc vessel has conical steel armored deck
running the length and breadth of the shin
IT is curved so the ends which are knife
edge, project from the sides of the vessel
about three feet below the water line
W When under way only small portion of
the deck is visible. Four small guns of the
rapid-fre type are mounted on the deck to
repel the attack of torpedo boats. but as all
the matches are battened down when the
vessel is cleared for action" they would
be of little use. No one is allowed on deck
during an action. The coming tower placed
forward, and only few feet from the ram
IS protected by armor plates ten inches i'm
thickness. This, with the smoke funnel
which is protected half its length by arrnor
plates six inches thick, are the only targets
which could be aimed at by an enemy The
null OF the vessel below the armored deck
IS protected and Is unlike any of the hulls
of the other vessels; it is V-shaped The
ship is driven by twin screws, operated by
a set OF triple-expansion engines of the
most modern type. They are placed in a
Water-tiGht compartment amidships and
develop an indicated horse power of 4,SO0
The displacement of the vessel is 2,O5O tons.
knots. The crew space is forward, while the
officers quarters are aft. All are below
the water line. and air is pumped into them
by the electrical machinery in the engine
room. The vessel, so far has not come
up to the expectations of its designer