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 |
| Service | 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 |
Colonel and Brevet Brigadier General Sylvanus Thayer (June 9, 1785 – September 7, 1872) also known as the "Father of the Military Academy",[1] was an early superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point and an early advocate of engineering education in the United States.
- ^ "A Brief History of West Point." United States Military Academy: West Point website. Retrieved 1 August 2023.