Year: 1862

Gen. Ammen and His Brigade at the


Battle of Pittsburg Landing.


A correspondent of the Cincinnati Ga
zette, writes the following:


In the accounts forwarded of the two
days fighting, sufficient Justice has not
been given the Tenth Brigade, comprised
of the Twenty-fourth Ohio, Sixth Ohio,
and Thirty-sixth Indiana Regiments, now
under command of Colonel, Acting Gen
eral Ammon. This brigade was the first
of General Nelson's division, which land
ed on Sunday evening on the west bank
of the Tennessee. At that time thou
sands of frightened and fleeing stragglers.
who had ingloriously left the battlefield.
were crowded under the bank of the riv-
er, panlc-stricken and seeking shelter
On the landing of the Tenth Brigade,
these safety seekers, used every endeavor
to discourage these troops ascending the
river bank and encountering the enemy.


'For Gods sake don't 90 up there,
you'll oil be cut to pieces, and killed in
two minutes after you reach the top of
the hill, exclaimed many of these chick
en-hearted IcaTriOrs. One over-zealous of
ficer, who had in vain previously endeav-
ored to induce his men to rally and re-
turn to the strife, approached Col. Am
mon and plaintively plead for the Colonel
to hurry his men up the bank without
waiting to form, or all would be lost, as
but one line of batteries was now the on
ly protection to all the stores and trans
ports. Col. Ammon politely requested
the officer to command his own men, and
allow him to do the same with his COM
mand. Col. Ammon, as cool as when on
a dress-parade, formed his men in order
and steadily advanced up the river bank
Immediately ON reaching the top of the
river bank, the enemy opened a heavy
fire upon them. the brigade steadily adj
vancing and replying with excellent effect.


The enemy at this moment made last
and desperate charge for the possession of
this last line of batteries, but the timely
arrival and the destructive fire from Col.
Ammon's brigade, repulsed them from the
charge, thus saving the battery and the
army from any further disasters of the
day. This last charge of the enemy clos
ing the strife of the day. To the timely
arrival of this portion of Gen. Nelson 5
division, on Sunday evening, and the saw
ing of this last battery, can be credited
the entire success of the following day
For had the enemy been successful in the
capture of this battery, they would have
been possessed of all our siege guns, and
would have commanded the river landing,
and could have turned our own guns up
on the transports in the river. On the
following day the Tenth Brigade occupied
the extreme left of the line of battle,
their flank resting on the Tennessee Riv-
er. To turn this flank and get possession
of this river line was the main object of
the enemy during the entire day.


Charge after charge was made upon the
troops holding this position, which was at
all times met by counter charge by our
troops A most singular incident of the
battle occurred in this portion of the line.
A large amount of ammunition had been
collected, and here deposited by the enc
my. Shortly after the first attack in the
morning, the enemy were forced to fall
back, leaving this ammunition midway
between the lines of the contending forces,
which served as a supply for both armies,
each line alternately falling back and ad-
vancing, and actually tax their supply of
cartridges from the same boxes.


GEN. ANNoN on THE ALERT.


Col. (Gen.) Ammon is one of those mil
itary weazles that is never caught mapping.
His brigade, now occupying the advance
of the line, has been ordered out in line
of battle, one hour before daylight, every
morning since the battle. He is always
ready to meet the foe, come when they
may Had this brigade occupied the po-
sition it now does, the enemy would not
have stolen in like a thief in the night
mo disrespect intended to the enemy, J
but they would have been met at the
proper time, and very different record
would have been made in the result of
the first days engagement. But as it is,
we must not cry forspilled milk, but prof
it by the experience.


Col. Ammon is quite plain, unassum-
ing man, going his daily rounds in plain
attire without bearing any insignias of Of
fee upon his person. One day while the
Colonel was seated in his tent, q person
having business entered and enquired for
the General. "What do you wish OF. him."
asked the Colonel. 81 have'business with
him, and would like to see him." was the
answer. Estate your business to me, and
| will attend to it." replied the Colonel
Il cannot, sir, wish to see the General, y
was the answer of the stranger. ''Well,
sir" says the Colonel, ''they call me Gen
eral sometimes; what is your business ?"
"You the General!' says the stranger,
"why you have no insignia of Office on
your person by which one could recognise
you; how should l know you to be the
General ?" "Why, sir" answered the
Colonel, ''must person be labelled to
show his position" The stranger made
known his business and left the Colonel,
greatly pleased with his kindness of heart
and urbanity of manner.