Edgar Allan Poe to John Allan — 1828-12-22

Edgar Allan Poe to John Allan — 1828-12-22 Historical letter date: 1828-12-22. Source edition: Mary Newton Stanard, Edgar Allan Poe Letters Till Now Unpublished, 1925, letter seven. This is repository machine OCR of the printed transcription; spelling and recognition errors remain. Consult the accompanying local scan excerpt and manuscript facsimile. [Source scan page 111] LETTER NUMBER SEVEN Fortress Monroe (Va) December 22^ 1828 Dear Sir; I wrote you shortly before leaving Fort Moultrie & am much hurt at receiving no answer Perhaps my letter has not reached you & under that supposition I will re- capitulate its contents It was chiefly to sollicit your inter- eft in freeing me from the Army of the U.S. in which (as M- Lay's letter from Lieut Howard informed you) I am at present a soldier. I begged that you would suspend any judgement you might be inclined to form, upon many untoward circumstances, until you heard of me again & begged you to give my deareft love to Ma & solicit her not to let my wayward disposition wear away the affedtion she used to have for me. I mentioned that all that was necessary to obtain my discharge from the army was your consent in a letter to Lieut. J. Howard, who has heard of you by report, & the high character given you by Ml Lay; this being all that I asked at your hands, I was hurt at your declining to answer my letter Since arriving at Fort Moultrie Lieut Howard has given me an introduction to Col: James House of the i!! Arty to whom I was before personally known only as a soldier of his regiment He spoke kindly to me . told me that he was personally acquainted with my Grandfather Gen- 1 87 [Source scan page 112] 88 EDGAR ALLAN POE LETTERS Poe, with yourself & family, & reassured me of my im- mediate discharge upon your consent. It muft have been a matter of regret to me, that when those who were Grangers took such deep intereft in my welfare, Tfeat you who called me your son should refuse me even the com- mon civility of answering a letter. If it is your wish to forget that I have been your son I am too proud to re- mind you of it again I only beg you to remember that you yourself cherished the cause of my leaving your family Ambition If it has not taken the channel you wished it, it is not the less certain of its objed. Richmond & the U. States were too narrow a sphere & the world shall be my theatre. As I observed in the letter which you have not received (you would have answered it if you had) You believe me degraded but do not believe it There is that within my heart which has no connection with degradation I can walk among infection & be uncontaminated. There never was any period of my life when my bosom swelled with a deeper satisfaction, of myself & (except in the in- jury which I may have done to your feelings) of my conduct My father do not throw me aside as degraded I will be an honor to your name. Give my beft love to my Ma & to all friends. If you determine to abandon me here take [illegible] farewell Neglected I will be doubly [illegible] tious, & the world shall hear of the son whom you have thought [Source scan page 115] LETTER NUMBER SEVEN 89 unworthy of your notice. But if you let the love you bear me, outweigh the offence which I have given then write me my father, quickly. My desire is for the present to be freed from the Army Since I have been in it my character is one that will bear scrutiny & has merited the effceem of my officers but I have accom- plished my own ends & I wish to be gone Write to Lieut Howard & to Col: House, desiring my discharge & above all to myself. Lieut Howard's direction is Lieut J. Howard, For 55 Monroe, Col. House's Col : Jas House F 55 Monroe my own the same My dearest Love to Ma & all my friends I am your affectionate son Edgar A Poe