OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 235 



He published no works of importance, but left an Astronomy in 

 manuscript. 



1. As a professor, he did a great work for "Williams College. 



2. As a preacher, he has been rarely surpassed in power. 



3. As a man, he commanded the esteem and admiration of this whole 

 community, — from the lowest to the highest, — as no other man has, 

 in the whole history of the town and College. 



Brevet Brigadier-General Sylvanus Thayer, of the United 

 States Engineer Corps, died at his residence in South Braiutree, on 

 Saturday, Sej^tember 7, 1872, at the age of eighty-seven years. Born 

 in Braintree, in humble circumstances, on the 19th of June, 1788, he 

 entered Dartmouth College, and graduated in the class of 1807 with 

 high honors. His tendencies being to a military life, he entered West 

 Point, March 20, 1807; and on the 23d of February, 1808, he gradu- 

 ated, and was jaromoted in the army to a second lieutenancy in the 

 corps of engineers. After leaving West Point, he reconnoitred the 

 coimti'y lying about Lake Champlain and Lake George, during which 

 time his means were reduced to so low a point that he sold from time 

 to time Ms honorary medals to obtain food and lodging, redeeming 

 them years afterwards. His second military employment was in sur- 

 veying sites and projecting plans for batteries at New Haven and 

 Stonington Harbors, and in inspecting Fort Trumbull, Connecticut. 

 He subsequently served as assistant engineer in constructing the de- 

 fences of the Massachusetts coast ; in the same capacity at the Military 

 Acaxlemy ; and also at the fortifications in New York Harbor, where he 

 afterwards served as assistant ordnance officer. He was promoted to 

 a first lieutenancy in the corps, July 1, 1812; and during the war with 

 Great Britain served as chief engineer of the northern army, under 

 command of Major-General Dearborn ; of the right division of the 

 same army, under command of Major-General Hampton, to whom he 

 was also aide-de-camp, engaging in the combat of Chateaugay Ri\'er, 

 October 26, 1813, just previous to which he had been promoted to a 

 captaincy. Captain Thayer was chief engineer of the defences of Nor- 

 folk, Va., in 1814, under the command of General Porter, and received 

 the brevet of major in February, 1815, for distinguished and meritorious 

 services. In company with Colonel McRae, he in the same year 

 visited Europe on professional duty, examining fortifications, military 

 schools, and the operations of the allied armies occupying France on 

 the fall of Napoleon L Returning to the United States in 1817, his 

 extraordinary acquirements secured for him the superintendency of the 



