Enlistment Papers for Edgar A. Perry [Poe]

Hampered by gambling debts and negligible book sales, Edgar Allan Poe, at the age of eighteen, enlisted in the United States Army. In his paperwork, he conceals both his true age and his true name, identifying himself as Edgar Perry, 22. Despite the five-year commitment, Poe quickly began to appeal to his foster father for help securing his release. In 1830, he left the Army and was admitted to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, but again experienced financial problems and ran afoul of both his foster father, who disowned him, and school officials, who expelled him.