Sylvanus Thayer
Sylvanus Thayer | |
|---|---|
Sylvanus Thayer, painting by Robert Weir | |
| Nickname(s) | "Father of the Military Academy" |
| Born | June 9, 1785 Braintree, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | September 7, 1872 (aged 87) Braintree, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Resting Place | West Point Cemetery, West Point, New York |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch | United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1808 – 1863 |
| Rank | Colonel Brevet Brigadier General |
| Commands | Superintendent of the United States Military Academy |
| Battles / wars | War of 1812 |
Sylvanus Thayer (June 9, 1785 – September 7, 1872) was an American military officer, engineer and educator who served as the fifth superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point from 1817 to 1833. He is remembered as the "Father of the Military Academy" for reforming the institution to its current standards, and was an early advocate of engineering education in the United States.