Charles Henry Davis
A 19th-century naval officer who uniquely bridged the worlds of rigorous scientific inquiry and decisive Civil War command.
1807–1877 (age 70)·United States Navy admiral·Birthday: January 16
Biography
Charles Henry Davis was a rare blend of intellectual and warrior in an age of specialization. Largely self-taught, his early passion for astronomy and hydrography led him to the U.S. Coast Survey, where his meticulous work charting tides and locating hazardous shoals saved countless ships. The Civil War called him to a different duty. Taking command of the Union's Western Gunboat Flotilla on the Mississippi, he proved a quick study in naval warfare. His forces delivered a crushing blow to the Confederate river fleet at the First Battle of Memphis, a key victory that helped open the Mississippi. Beyond his wartime service, Davis was a founding member of the National Academy of Sciences, advocating for the application of science to national needs. His life was a continuous campaign, fought with equal vigor over charts in a study and on the decks of ironclads.
#1 When Charles Was Born
The biggest hits of 1807
Charles's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1807Born
1812Started school
1820Became a teenager
1823Could drive
1825Could vote
1828Turned 21
1837Turned 30
1847Turned 40
1857Turned 50
1867Turned 60
President: Andrew Johnson
1877Turned 70
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
Key Achievements
- Commanded the Union's Western Gunboat Flotilla to a decisive victory at the First Battle of Memphis in 1862.
- Was a founding member of the National Academy of Sciences in 1863.
- As a superintendent for the U.S. Coast Survey, he discovered a dangerous, uncharted shoal near New York's Fire Island.
- Authored several scientific works, including a seminal study on the tides and currents of the North Atlantic.
Did You Know?
His son, Charles H. Davis II, also became a rear admiral in the U.S. Navy.
He was the great-grandson of American Revolution figure Samuel Davis.
The destroyer USS Davis (DD-395) was named in his honor.
“A chart is a weapon of war as vital as a cannon.”
