Charles Davies

Charles Davies (22 January 1798 – 17 September 1876) was a professor of mathematics at the United States Military Academy, notable for his series of mathematical textbooks.

Born in Washington, Connecticut, his family moved to St. Lawrence County in northern New York in his early youth. His father was influential in the area as a County Judge. He was appointed to the United States Military Academy in December 1813 through the influence of Joseph Gardner Swift, who was the first graduate of the Academy and its superintendent from 1812 to 1817. It was during the War of 1812 that Swift met Davies's father and personally aided in securing young Davies an appointment at the West Point. Davies had earned praise for the services rendered to St. Wilkinsons's army in the descent of St. Lawerence in the autumn of 1813. He graduated from the academy in December 1815.

He joined the Light Artillery as a Bvt. Second Lieut. on December 11, 1815. He served a year in garrison at New England posts till August 31, 1816, when he transferred to the Corps of Engineers. He resigned from the Army on 1 December 1816 and took a post as Assistant Professor of Mathematics at West Point. He became professor of mathematics in May 1823.