en, Byron’s and Tamerlane’s martial ambitions or the prospect of family-like camaraderie. In his company there were thirty privates (including Edgar) and during the fall of 1827 they were stationed in Boston Harbor at Fort Independence. In November they moved to Fort Moultrie in South Carolina, on an island in the main entrance to Charleston Harbor. Thirteen months later they once again moved, this time to Fortress Monroe, Virginia, in the entrance of Chesapeake Bay, at Old Point Comfort. Little is known about Edgar “Perry’s” life during these two years, but it is known that the army was not geared for war during this period. The period 1815 – 1846 has been called “Thirty Years Peace.” His superiors appreciated Edgar and by early 1828 he had become “Assistant to the A.C.S.” (Assistant Commissary of Subsistence), with similar duties as General David Poe had done as A.D.Q.M. (Assistant Commissary Deputy Quartermaster of the Continental Army) Later the same year he had become an officer, blacksmith or mechanic and earned ten dollars per month. On New Year’s Day 1829 he was promoted to sergeant major for artillery, the highest possible rank for non-commissioned officers, above sergeant and just below second lieutenant.Reconciliation with John Allan (1827-1829 continued) During these two years Edgar had become a friend of Lieutenant Howard which he described as; compassionate, a fatherly man who acted from the “goodness of his heart”, and as Edgar also stated: “He has always been kind to me.” Edgar even trusted him with his real name and age. Even though he progressed in the army, Edgar felt that he wanted to leave. He had signed for five years but Howard promised to discharge him since he heard about Edgar’s problems with his orphan hood, and the problems at the university and John Allan. Howard would, however, only let him leave if ...
