I thoroughly enjoyed this. Thank you! I always think of Poe at UVA; somehow I had entirely missed that he was ever at West Point.
Reading some years ago that his wife was mistakenly buried alive when he was away from home has made me wonder if that contributed to his fascination with the macabre, or if it were just the sort of thing that would have happened to the wife of a guy who lived in that headspace already. The story goes that, in his sudden grief at learning she was dead and buried when he returned home, he dug her up—and then discovered fingernail marks inside her coffin. Grisly.
Thanks for the interesting article an interesting piece of history. I found the story about Colonel Thayer encouraging him to publish his poems fascinating, and a little humorous.
It definitely paints a funny picture - especially when COL Thayer encourages him to solicit cash from his classmates! Poe actually wanted to join the Polish Army after leaving West Point, and he requested a letter of rec from COL Thayer, but COL Thayer reportedly never responded. It's such a fascinating exchange
Hi Sarah, thanks for providing even more interesting historical insight. It is hard to imagine the Commandant, and a recently expelled cadet teaming up in this way. Perhaps it was for the best, Poe did produce some pretty fine poetry!
You might also the career of West Point graduate Charles Totten of interest.
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Thank you! I always think of Poe at UVA; somehow I had entirely missed that he was ever at West Point.
Reading some years ago that his wife was mistakenly buried alive when he was away from home has made me wonder if that contributed to his fascination with the macabre, or if it were just the sort of thing that would have happened to the wife of a guy who lived in that headspace already. The story goes that, in his sudden grief at learning she was dead and buried when he returned home, he dug her up—and then discovered fingernail marks inside her coffin. Grisly.
Oh my gosh, that is dark. I'll have to look into that today! Tis the season!
Poe's West Point poems were republished in a facsimile edition in the early 2000s, edited by MAJ William Hecker of the USMA Department of English.
Thanks for the interesting article an interesting piece of history. I found the story about Colonel Thayer encouraging him to publish his poems fascinating, and a little humorous.
It definitely paints a funny picture - especially when COL Thayer encourages him to solicit cash from his classmates! Poe actually wanted to join the Polish Army after leaving West Point, and he requested a letter of rec from COL Thayer, but COL Thayer reportedly never responded. It's such a fascinating exchange
Hi Sarah, thanks for providing even more interesting historical insight. It is hard to imagine the Commandant, and a recently expelled cadet teaming up in this way. Perhaps it was for the best, Poe did produce some pretty fine poetry!