SCAMMELL
SCAMMON
SCAMMELL, Alexander, soldier, was born in
Meiuloii, Mass., in March, 1747; son of Dr.
Samuel Leslie and Jane (Libber-) Scamniell. Dr.
Scammell. with his wife and brother Alexander,
•came from Portsmouth, England, to Mendon, in
1737. Alexander Scamniell was graduated at
Har%-ard, A.B., 17G9, A.M., 1772 ; taught school
in Kingston and Plymouth, Mass., 1769-70; in
Portsmouth, N.H.. and Shapleigh, Me., 1771-72,
and was employed under his cousin, Thomas
Scammell, in exploring timber lands for the
royal navy, and in making survej's for a map of
New Hampshire. He studied law at Durham,
N.H., under John Sullivan (q.v.), and was one
of tiie force under Sullivan that seized Fort
William and Mary, Newcastle, N.H., capturing
its armament with nearly one hundred barrels of
gunpowder, Dec. 14, 1774 ; which act was pro-
nounced treasonable by the royal governor.
During the absence of his preceptor in attend-
ance on the First Continental congress, Mr.
Scammell had charge of his legal practice, and
for this reason was prevented from joining the
army at Cambridge. He was major of New
Hampshire militia and in April, 1775, when Sul-
livan was made a major-general in the Con-
tinental army, Scammell was appointed on his
staff as an aide-de-camp. He was transferred
to General Lee's division, Oct. 29, 1776, and
was promoted colonel of the 3d New Hamp-
shire regiment, Nov. 8, 1776. He served
under Gen. Horatio Gates, and was wounded at
Saratoga, Jan. 5, 1778. He was adjutant general
of the Continental army on the staff of Gen-
eral Washington, Jan. 5, 1778,-Jan. 1, 1781,
and assumed command of the 1st New Hamp-
ijhire regiment, light infantry, in March, 1781.
He was captured by Hessian dragoons at York-
town while reconnoitering the enemy's position,
Sept. 30, 1781, and was fatally wounded after he
liad surrendered. He was allowed to be carried
to Williamsburg by Lord Cornwallis at the re-
quest of Washington, dying there, Oct. 6, 1781.
SCAMMON, Eliakim Parker, soldier, was born in Whitefield, Maine, Dec. 27, 1816 ; son of Eliakim and (Young) Scammon. He was grad- uated at the U.S. Military academy, and promoted "2d lieutenant, 4th artillery, July 1, 1837 ; was assistant professor of mathematics at West Point, 1837-38 ; and served as an assistant topo- graphical engineer in the Florida war, 1838-40, and in projecting a map of the territory west of the Mississippi, 1840-41. He was assistant pro- fessor and principal assistant professor of history, geography and ethics in the Military academy 1841-46; was promoted Its lieutenant Sept. 21, 1846, and was superintending engineer on the survey of the harbor. New Bedford, Mass., 1846. He served on the staff of Gen. Winfield Scott
early in 1847 ; took part in the siege of Vera
Cruz, March 9-29, 1847; was engaged in the
survey of the northwestern lakes, 1847-5-5 ; and
in constructing military roads in New Mexico,
1855-56 ; was promoted captain March 3, 1853,
and was dismissed from the army June 4, 1856,
for " Conduct to the prejudice of good order
and military discipline and disobedience of
orders." He was professor of mathematics in
Mount St. Mary's college, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1885-
59, and president of the Polyteclinic college of
the Catholic Institute in Cincinnati 1860-61 ;
on June, 14, 1861, he was appointed colonel
of the 23d Ohio volunteers, and he engaged in
the campaign in Western Virginia, 1861-62 ; took
part in the action of Carnifex Ferry ; com-
manded the advance brigade at Fayette, Raleigh,
Princeton, Va., Nov. 1861-Aug. 1862, and at Bull
Run railroad bridge, Aug. 27, 1862 ; served at
South Mountain and Antietam ; was promoted
brigadier general of volunteers, Oct. 15, 1862, and
commanded the district of Kanawha, W. Va.,
Nov. 1862-Feb. 3, 1864. He was confined in
Libby prison Feb. 3, Aug. 3-1864, commanded the
separate brigade " at Morris Island off diaries-
ton, S.C.. October 1864, and the district of Florida,
November, 1864-April, 1865. He was president
of the board for the examination of ofRcers of
volunteers in the Department of the South, May
to August, 1865, and was mustered out Aug. 24,
1865. He was U.S. consul at Prince Edward
Island, 1865-71 ; a civil engineer in the U.S.
service in New York harbor, 1872-75 ; and profes-
sor of mathematics in Seton Hall college, South
Orange, N.J., 1875-85. becoming a resident of
Chicago, 111., in 1886. He received the honorary
degree A.M. from Bowdoin in 1843, and from
Trinity college in 1845. He died in New York
city, Dec. 7, 1894.
SCAMMON, Jonathan Young, educationist, was born in Whitefield, Me., July 27, 1812, son of Eliakim Scammon, and grandson of David Young, He was educated at Waterville college, Maine, studied law in Hallowell, and practised in Chicago, 111., 1855-57. He was assistant clerk of Cook county, 1835-36, prepared a new edition of Gale's Statutes, published " Scammon's Reports " (4 vols., 1832-43) ; became attorney of the State Bank of Illinois in 1837, and was reporter of the supreme court of the state, 1839-45. He was a founder and director of the Galena and Chicago railroad, originated the public school system of Chicago, serving as inspector of schools and as president of the board of education ; was a founder of the Chicago Academy of Sciences ; and alsoof the Chicago Astronomical society, of which he was the first president. He built Dearborn observatory at his own expense, and conducted it for several years, purcliasing for it the first
