Major Thayer’s success in giving West Point an upward impetus had attracted general attention and observation throughout the country so that appointments were now sought after with avidity. The politicians rejoiced at the Academy’s increased importance and the consequent patronage that the appointments offered. Although the present law did not obtain, whereby Congressmen appointed cadets, still it had been the custom for the President to appoint men to West Point upon the recommendation of a Representative. In 1843, a law was passed that allowed one cadet for each congressional district. Major Thayer was at his own request relieved as Superintendent, after a brilliant administration whose results were so beneficial to the institution as to gain for him from posterity the title of “Father of the Military Academy.”
Could Major Thayer have only peered into the future he would have seen Fame, years later, crowning three of his raw young cadets. One of the lads at West Point under Major Thayer was Edgar Allan Poe, America’s foremost literary genius. He entered West Point July 1, 1830, but after a troublous stay of a little over eight months was dismissed for repeated misconduct. Not a great deal is known of his brief cadet days, but his classmates have stated that he was irritable and morose, and addicted to excessive drinking. He would steal out of barracks sometimes, long after taps, and “run it out” to “Old Benny Havens,” a tavern kept by Benny Havens on the banks of the Hudson about a mile below West Point. Benny Havens’ name is preserved in song and story at West Point, and tales that surrounded the cadet reunions in ye olden days at “Benny’s” are flavored with all the romance of a mythical legend. Old Benny died in 1877 at the ripe age of eighty-nine years, but his name survives in a stirring West Point song that I quote in part:
Come fill your glasses, fellows, and stand up in a row,
For singing sentimentally we are going for to go,
In the Army there’s sobriety, promotion’s very slow,
So we’ll sing our reminiscences of Benny Havens, Oh!
* * * * *
To our comrades who have fallen, one cup before we go;
They poured their life-blood freely out pro bono publico.
No marble points the stranger to where they rest below!
They lie neglected far away from Benny Havens, Oh!
* * * * *
When you and I and Benny and all the others too,
Are called before the “final Board,” our course of life to view,
May we never “fess”[5] on any point, but straight be told to go
And join the Army of the blest at Benny Havens, Oh!
Poe, however, was only one of many who disobeyed the regulations, but he did not care for military life and made no effort to conceal his offenses. Finally he was tried by court-martial. For two weeks prior to his trial he neglected almost all of his studies as a cadet. Two of the specifications against him were for absences from parades and roll calls and two for disobedience of orders, but at the trial, he deliberately pleaded guilty to the latter and not guilty to the former, the most patent and obvious of his offenses. Whether or not he did this from a sense of humor, is not known, but his action was not calculated to help him in the eyes of his superiors. He was dismissed March 6, 1831. Four days later he wrote Major Thayer the following letter:
Letter of Edgar Allan Poe, Lately Cadet, U. S. M. A., to the Superintendent: 1831.
(Original in the library U. S. M. A.)
New York,
Mar. 10, 1831.
Sir:
Having no longer any ties to bind me to my country—no prospects—nor friends—I intend by the first opportunity to proceed to Paris with the view of obtaining through the interest of the Marquis De La Fayette, an appointment (if possible) in the Polish Army. In the event of the interference of France in behalf of Poland this may easily be effected—in all events it will be my only feasible plan of procedure.
The object of this letter is respectfully to request that you will give me such assistance as may be in your power in the furtherance of my views.
A certificate of standing in my class is all that I may have a right to expect.