during the spring and summer of 1827 he
    made friends with a young printer, one
    Calvin F. S. Thomas then newly embarked
    in the trade, and prevailed on him to print a
    volume of verse, Tamerlane and Other
    Poems. The printer does not appear to have
    known Poe by any but an assumed name.
    The title page of the little volume
    proclaimed the work to be "By A
    Bostonian." The bulk of it, probably due to
    Poe's inability to recompense the printer,
    'was apparently destroyed or suffered to lie
    in neglect. Only a few copies of it got into
    circulation and only two obscure notices
    appeared. Poe himself seems to have
    secured scarcely some for personal use. In
    the meantime the author of this unknown
    but now famous little volume was reduced
    to the greatest extremity. Totally without
    means and too proud or unable to appeal to
    Richmond, he finally as a desperate measure
    enlisted in the United States Army on May
    26, 1827, under the assumed name of Edgar
    A. Perry. He was assigned to Battery "H"
    of the First U. S. Artillery and spent the
    summer of 1827 in the barracks of Fort
    Independence, Boston Harbor. At the end
    of October his regiment was ordered to Fort
    Moultrie, Charleston, S. C.
      The ensuing two and a half years form a
     curious interlude in the life of a poet. Poe
     spent the time between November, 1827,
     and December, 1829, doing garrison duty as
     an enlisted man at Ft. Moultrie, S. C. The
     fort was located on Sullivan's Island at the
     mouth of the harbor. The young soldier had
     a good deal of spare time on his hands
     which was evidently spent in wandering
     along the beaches, writing poetry, and
     reading. His military duties
    were light and wholly clerical, as he had
    soon been noticed by his officers better
    fitted for office work than for practice at the
    great-guns. Of this period, and of his doings
    and imaginings, the best record is the "Gold
    Bug," written many years later, but replete
    with exact local color and scenes. Poe's
    duties evidently brought him into close
    contact with his officers. He was steady,
    sober, and intelligent; and promotion
    ensued. We soon find him listed as an
    "artificer," the first step out of the ranks. He
    himself, however, felt that his life was being
    wasted and some time in 1828
    correspondence was resumed with his foster-
    father in Richmond, the purport of which
    was a request for reconciliation and a return
    to civil life. Although Poe's letters were
    touching, appealing, and penitent, his
    guardian was obstinate and the youth
    remained at his post until December, 1828,

    




    when his regiment was ordered to Fortress
    Monroe, Virginia.
      Seeing that his guardian would not
     consent to having him return home, he now
     conceived the idea of entering West Point.
     Some of the officers of 111s regiment, a
     surgeon in particular, became interested, and
     influence was brought to bear on John
     Allan. On January 1, 1829, Poe, still serving
     under the name of Perry, was promoted to
     Sergeant-Major of his regiment, the highest
     rank open to an enlisted man. His letters
     home became more insistent and to them
     were now added the prayers of Mrs. Allan,
     who was dying. She desired to see her "dear
     boy" before she expired. Strange as it may
     seem, John Allan remained firm until the
     very last. He finally sent for his foster-son,
     then only a few miles away from Richmond,