The REAL Edgar Allan Poe: His Military Service, Reputation, and Mysterious Death

Hosts Scott and Jenn, discuss Edgar Allan Poe while visiting Westminster Hall and Burying Ground in Baltimore, covering the mysterious circumstances of his 1849 death after being found delirious in the streets. They trace Poe’s early life (orphaned, taken in by the Allan family), his Army service and brief West Point stint, and his struggling writing career, including The Raven’s 1845 publication for $9 and the death of his wife/cousin Virginia in 1847. The episode details rival Rufus Wilmot Griswold’s scathing pseudonymous obituary, his acquisition of Poe’s literary rights from Maria Clemm, and forged portrayals that both damaged and amplified Poe’s fame before later rebuttals discredited Griswold. 📍 Travel to this cemetery: https://www.historyordrive.com/poi/901 00:00 Poe’s Final Mystery 00:49 Welcome to Talk with History 01:34 Why Poe Still Matters 04:39 Podcast Shout-Out Break 05:38 Orphaned Origins in Baltimore 09:10 Army Enlistment and West Point 12:59 Poems, Publishing, and Baltimore Return 14:55 Marriage, Tuberculosis, and Making Ends Meet 16:39 A Rival Writer Enters the Story - Rufus Griswold 17:59 Poe vs Longfellow 18:23 Virginia Illness and Loss 18:46 The Raven Breakthrough 19:56 Griswold Rivalry Begins 23:26 Obituary and Death Mystery 28:21 Rights Stolen and Forged Memoir 31:34 Griswold Discredited 33:37 Grave Marker and Reburial 37:09 Poe Toaster Tradition 39:01 Legacy and Final Farewell 📍 Try our History Travel app!! Go where we have gone. 🗺️ ➡️ https://www.historyordrive.com 📇 Take our 2 minute history survey for an exclusive London History video! ➡️ https://iaskhistory.com 🎙Talk With History Podcast🎙 ➡️ https://www.talkwithhistory.com/listen *************************************************** #history #historyeducation