History

Edgar Allan Poe Was a Sergeant Major in the US Army

January 13, 2023Mac Caltrider
Before Edgar Allan Poe was a famous poet, he was a sergeant major in the US Army. Composite by Coffee or Die.

Before Edgar Allan Poe was a famous poet, he was a sergeant major in the US Army. Composite by Coffee or Die.

Few authors have been as influential as Edgar Allan Poe. He was not only a pioneer of Western literature, but he was also the first American to make a successful living as a writer. He penned famous detective stories long before the likes of Sherlock Holmes and Nancy Drew entered the scene. His dark poems, such as “The Raven” and “Annabelle Lee,” expanded the medium with their innovative constructions and dark themes. His short stories, such as “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Fall of the House of Usher,” remain the gold standard of Gothic literature. And his one and only novel, The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket, is credited with inspiring Herman Melville to write his masterpiece, Moby-Dick.

Of course, Poe will always be best known through his immense body work. Yet, his life off the page was just as bizarre and enthralling as any of his stories. It’s a complex biography, full of many twists and turns, the first – and perhaps most surprising – being Poe’s spectacularly brief tenure as a sergeant major in the United States Army.

Related: 3 Brilliant War Stories That Show Combat Through A Unique Lens

Edgar Allan Poe Attained the Highest Enlisted Rank 

Before any of Poe’s work was published, he was a soldier. He enlisted in the Army in 1827 under the false name Edgar Perry. He also lied about his age, saying he was 22 when he was really only 18 years old, in order to meet the minimum age of enlistment at the time. Poe’s first posting was in Boston Harbor, where he earned $5 a day as an artilleryman. He used his meager salary to anonymously self-publish his first collection of poetry, Tamerlane and Other Poems. Only 50 copies were printed, and the collection failed to attract the interest of critics.

Edgar Allan Poe

Poe was the first American to make a successful living as a writer. Photo by Mac Caltrider/Coffee or Die.

In just two years, Poe was promoted to the job of artificer: someone who prepares and handles explosives. He also attained the rank of sergeant major — the highest achievable rank for enlisted soldiers. Yet, despite all of his success in the Army, Poe didn’t envision himself as a career soldier. His true ambition was to be a successful author and poet.

Related: ‘Lovecraft’s Iraq’: Recon Marines Fight From Fallujah to the Mountains of Madness

Appointment to the United States Military Academy

Poe grew tired of living the hard life of an enlisted soldier. Clever man that he was, he devised a cunning plan to extricate himself from his predicament. In 1829, he confessed to his commanding officer that he had lied about his name and age in order to join the Army with the hope that the revelation would result in his enlistment contract being terminated. To help prod his commander toward that decision, Poe proposed that in exchange for an early discharge, he would commit to attending the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Poe’s proposition was accepted, and on April 15, 1829, he was officially discharged from the Army. After a brief stint in Baltimore, where he published a second, more successful collection of poetry, he traveled to New York and enrolled in West Point.

Edgar Allan Poe

Cadets from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point march during the 57th Presidential Inauguration Parade along Pennsylvania Avenue starting at the U.S. Capitol to the White House in Washington, D.C., Jan. 21, 2013. US Army photo by Staff Sgt. Teddy Wade.

Apparently, life as a cadet was not what Poe had expected. So, once again, he hatched a plan to get himself booted from the ranks. This time, though, his quest for freedom would require a great deal of effort, as it turned out that getting kicked out of West Point wasn’t all that easy.

During his first semester, Poe accrued a staggering 44 offenses and 106 demerits. He ramped up his efforts at the start of his second semester, accruing 66 offenses in just one month. Legends abound about his shenanigans. They include stories of starting food fights, excessive drinking, and public nudity, like the time he apparently showed up to formation wearing nothing except for a cartridge belt. According to one myth, he even murdered somebody (a theory explored in Netflix’s new mystery thriller film, The Pale Blue Eye).

Edgar Allan Poe

Harry Melling (right) stars as Edgar Allan Poe in Netflix's The Pale Blue Eye. Screenshot from The Pale Blue Eye.

Are any of those crazy stories true? Maybe. But, more likely, the truth is that Poe skipped a lot of classes until he was court-martialed. In early 1831, he was expelled from West Point for “gross neglect of duty” and “disobedience of orders.”

A Sudden and Mysterious Death

Finally unshackled from the fetters of military service, Poe picked up a goose-quill pen and got to work. He dedicated the remainder of his life to his craft as a poet and storyteller, becoming one of the first Americans to make a living entirely through writing. Then, at the age of 40, he died unexpectedly.

To this day, the circumstances surrounding the death of Edgar Allan Poe remain shrouded in mystery. On October 3, 1849, he was found lying in a Baltimore gutter, delirious and dressed in someone else’s clothing. He died four days later, having never recovered enough to tell anyone what had happened.

Read Next: Before Stephen King, America’s ‘King of Horror’ Was A Civil War Veteran With TBI

Mac Caltrider
Mac Caltrider

Mac Caltrider is a senior staff writer for Coffee or Die Magazine. He served in the US Marine Corps and is a former police officer. Caltrider earned his bachelor’s degree in history and now reads anything he can get his hands on. He is also the creator of Pipes & Pages, a site intended to increase readership among enlisted troops. Caltrider spends most of his time reading, writing, and waging a one-man war against premature hair loss.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
Intel
US: War Crimes on All Sides in Ethiopia's Tigray Conflict

The Biden administration announced Monday that it has determined all sides in the brutal conflict in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region committed war crimes and crimes against humanity.

March 20, 2023Associated Press
military pilots cancer rates
Military
Higher Cancer Rates Found in Military Pilots, Ground Crews

In its yearlong study of almost 900,000 service members who flew on or worked on military aircraft b...

March 20, 2023Associated Press
whiskey pour
Military
Veterans Lead the Way Among America’s Growing Craft Distilleries

American veterans are taking the lessons they learned in the military and changing the craft distilling industry.

March 20, 2023Mac Caltrider
military suicide veteran suicide
Military
Military Moves To Cut Suicides, But Defers Action on Guns

In a memo released Thursday, Austin called for the establishment of a suicide prevention working gro...

March 17, 2023Associated Press
us military drills japan-south korea
Intel
US, Partners Stage Military Drills Amid Japan-South Korea Talks

The Sea Dragon 23 exercises that started on Wednesday will culminate in more than 270 hours of in-fl...

March 17, 2023Associated Press
leo jenkins a word like god
Entertainment
‘A Word Like God’: New Book From Army Ranger Leo Jenkins

In his latest poetry collection, Ranger-turned-writer Leo Jenkins turns away from war to explore cosmic themes of faith, fatherhood, and art.

March 16, 2023Mac Caltrider
us drone
Intel
Pentagon Video Shows Russian Jet Dumping Fuel on US Drone

The Pentagon on Thursday released video of what it said was a Russian fighter jet dumping fuel on a ...

March 16, 2023Associated Press
10th Mountain Division
History
‘Climb to Glory’ — A History of the US Army’s 10th Mountain Division

From the mountains of Italy to the mountains of Afghanistan, the US Army’s 10th Mountain Division built its legendary reputation by fighting in some of the most inhospitable places in the world.

March 16, 2023Matt Fratus
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
  • Request a Correction
  • Write for Us
  • General Inquiries
© 2023 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved