Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/756

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CONFEDERATE MILITARY HISTORY.

federate States. He became a private in Company D of the Eleventh Virginia infantry, January 19, 1865, and served gallantly in the final engagements of the army of Northern Virginia, participating in the skirmishes on the Howlett house line, several skirmishes with Sheridan's cavalry on the Pamunkey river, and the actions at Dinwiddie Court House, Five Forks and High bridge. On the day following the fight at High bridge, he was pronounced unfit for further duty on account of physical disability, and he consequently, on the evening of April 8th left Appomattox for his home and was at Lynchburg at the time of the surrender of the army. He farmed in his native county until his removal in 1876 to Big Lick, now Roanoke, where he clerked for Fishburne Bros. until 1887, when he engaged in the laundry business. While in Botetourt county he was honored by election to local offices, and in 1878 he was elected deputy sergeant of Big Lick, a position he held for two years. Mr. Ammen was married in Coles county. Ill., in 1883, to Lottie R. Greer, and they have five children—Tipton G., John N., George W., Rudolph and Lottie E.  Daniel Ammen, father of the foregoing, a native of Botetourt county, also served in the Confederate cause, as his age permitted, as captain of the Botetourt Home Guards. John Neville Ammen, an older brother of George W., was distinguished for long and devoted service in behalf of his native State. He was born in Botetourt county in 1842, and was a member of the Fincastle Rifles, a volunteer company under the command of Capt. William H. Anthony, which served at Harper's Ferry during the John Brown affair of 1859. In April, 1861, he went out with his command, which became Company D of the Eleventh Virginia regiment of infantry, and subsequently served throughout the entire war. He was among the first troops to occupy Manassas junction, and participated in the fighting in that vicinity in July, 1861, and after that there was not an engagement of the army of Northern Virginia in which he did not bear his full share of danger, fatigue and suffering. His innate cheerfulness made him the life of his camp, and added to his intrepid courage, made him a most valuable soldier. He was wounded while taking part in Pickett's immortal charge at Gettysburg, and again at the Wilderness, and at Five Forks fell into the hands of the enemy, by whom he was held as a prisoner of war until July, 1865. At this last disastrous engagement he was promoted from sergeant to captain for gallantry on the field of battle. After the war he went West and finally settled at Denver, was prosperous in business, married in Roanoke and became the father of three children. But a few days after the birth of his third child, James N. Ammen, an insidious disease terminated his life, June 23, 1895. Touching tributes to his moral worth were made officially by the Lutheran church of that city of which he was a member.

Captain Abner Anderson, of Danville, Va., was born in Pittsylvania county, Va., December 2, 1832, the son of Joseph E. and Minerva C. (Terry) Anderson, the father being a merchant and farmer in that county. During the first two years of the war Captain Anderson served as quartermaster of the Eighteenth Virginia regiment, and during the last two years, his health having failed, he was attached as a clerk to the quartermaster's post at Danville. After the close of hostilities he remained at the latter