Page 43 - Four Famous American Writers: Washington Irving, Edgar Allan Poe, James Russell Lowell, Bayard Taylor

The volume was entitled "Tamerlane and Other Poems. By a Bostonian." It
was published by a young printer named Calvin Thomas, and was a thin

little book, not very attractive in appearance. Several of the pieces then
published are now included in Poe’s collected works, but they have been

greatly changed.

Naturally the poems of an obscure young man did not sell, and the volume

was soon suppressed--Poe says "for private reasons." The "private reasons"
were doubtless merely the fact that the book was a complete failure, and the

young, proud poet was much ashamed that he could not sell even a dozen
copies--possibly not even one.

The little money Poe had was now spent, and he was obliged to do
something to keep from starvation. The only chance he saw was to enlist in

the army. He did so under the name of Edgar A. Perry, and the record of his
service may be found in the War Department of our government at
Washington. He was assigned to Battery H, First Artillery, and conducted

himself so well that he was promoted from the ranks to be sergeant-major.
From Boston the company was sent to Charleston, South Carolina, and a

year later to Fortress Monroe, Virginia.

From Fortress Monroe Poe wrote to Mr. Allan for the first time. He soon

afterwards learned of the illness of Mrs. Allan, who died February 28,
1829. He got leave of absence to attend her funeral, and went to Richmond.

Poe was such a bright young man that it seemed a pity for him to remain in
the ranks, when he might become an officer; therefore it was suggested that

he be sent to West Point. Mr. Allan agreed to help him; but it is said that,
after the death of Mrs. Allan, he no longer entertained any affection for

Edgar. In a letter to the Secretary of War, he said: "Frankly, sir, I do declare
that he is no relation to me whatever; that I have many in whom I have
taken an active interest to promote theirs; with no other feeling than that,

every man is my care, if he be in distress. For myself I ask nothing, but I do
request your kindness to aid this youth in the promotion of his future

prospects."