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Maj. Gen. Thomas A. Davies (b. 1809, d. 1899) Had Thomas Alfred Davies lived today, he likely would have been an infomercial star. A postwar author, Davies wrote “How to Make Money, and How to Keep It” and “Cosmogony: Or Mysteries of Creation” and “Genesis Disclosed” among his works. Davies, uncle of Gen. Henry E. Davies, was born Dec. 3, 1809, on a farm in St. Lawrence County, New York. He received a common school education before receiving an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at the age of 16. He graduated 25th in the West Point Class of 1829. Robert E. Lee and Joseph Johnston were among his classmates. Davies was assigned to the frontier and served in Wisconsin until resigning in 1831 to become a civil engineer on the Croton aqueduct which was to supply water to the city of New York. From 1841 until the outbreak of the Civil War, he was a merchant in New York. With the start of the war, Davies went back into the army as the colonel of the 16th New York. He led this unit into the war’s first campaign. Davies commanded the Second Brigade, consisting of his 16th New York, the 18th New York, the 31st New York, the 32nd New York and Battery G, Second U.S. Artillery. This brigade was in Col. Dixon Miles’ Fifth Division. Following that battle, Davies and his men were in the Washington defensive lines, stationed at Alexandria, Virginia. Davies was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers March 7, 1862. Sent west, Davies commanded troops in the Corinth Campaign during April and May of 1862 and the Battle of Corinth Oct. 3-4, 1862. From there on, he commanded districts in Columbus, Kentucky (1862-63), Rolla, Missouri (1863-64) and North Kansas (1864-85) before returning to New York. He was mustered out of service with a brevet promotion to major general Aug. 24, 1865. Davies died near Ogdensburg, New York, in St. Lawrence County, Aug. 19, 1899. He was buried in the family cemetery.


Not much information out there on Davies. Couldn't find anything on why he was sent to Mississippi or why he was sent to post duty after Corinth. Nothing written positive or negative on the fellow.

Good enough for me. Thanks!

Davies is now ready:


Maj. Gen. Thomas Alfred Davies (b. 1809, d. 1899). Had Davies lived today, he likely would have been an infomercial star. A postwar author, Davies wrote “How to Make Money, and How to Keep It,” “Cosmogony: Or Mysteries of Creation,” and “Genesis Disclosed,” among his works. Davies, uncle of Union Gen. Henry E. Davies, was born on December 3, 1809, on a farm in St. Lawrence County, New York. He received a common school education before receiving an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at the age of sixteen. Davies graduated 25th in the West Point Class of 1829, a class that included Robert E. Lee and Joseph E. Johnston. Davies was assigned to the frontier and served in Wisconsin until resigning in 1831. He later became a civil engineer on the Croton Aqueduct, which was being built to supply water to the city of New York. From 1841 until the outbreak of the Civil War, Davies was a merchant in New York. With the start of the war, he went back into the army, gaining an appointment to Colonel of the 16th New York Infantry Regiment. At the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861, Davies commanded the 2nd Brigade – which consisted of his own regiment as well as the 18th, 31st and 32nd New York and Battery G, Second U.S. Artillery – in Col. Dixon S. Miles’s 5th Division. This division was kept in reserve during the battle, but during the precipitous retreat back to the capital it served as a rear guard. Following the battle, Davies and his men served in the Washington, D.C. defensive lines, being stationed at Alexandria, Virginia. Davies was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers on March 7, 1862. Sent west, Davies commanded troops in the Corinth Campaign during April-May 1862 and later in the Battle of Corinth on October 3-4. From that point on, instead of serving on the front lines he commanded districts in Columbus, Kentucky (1862-63), Rolla, Missouri (1863-64) and North Kansas (1864-85) before returning to New York. Davies was mustered out of service with a brevet promotion to major general on August 24, 1865. Davies died near Ogdensburg, New York, in St. Lawrence County, on August 19, 1899, and was buried in the family cemetery. (Bio by Bill Battle)

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Start date: 28