West Point Opens: Army Engineers Trained for War

Congress authorized the establishment of the United States Military Academy at West Point on March 16, 1802, signing into law a proposal that had been debated since George Washington first recommended it in 1783. The academy was placed under the Army Corps of Engineers, reflecting its initial focus on training military engineers rather than combat officers. The first class enrolled ten cadets. Under Superintendent Sylvanus Thayer, who took charge in 1817, West Point became the first engineering school in the United States, with a curriculum modeled on the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris. Thayer established the honor code, merit-based ranking system, and strict disciplinary standards that define the academy today. West Point graduates dominated both sides of the Civil War: Ulysses Grant, Robert Lee, William Sherman, Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson, and Jefferson Davis all attended. The academy has produced 76 Medal of Honor recipients, two US presidents, and the leadership cadre that built America's national infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and railways.