I believe that it was after Granddad returned from Columbia that he became active as a partner in the Foundry in Georgetown. At any rate Harry was an apprentice in the Foundry for the required number of years, and apparently, Granddad did not play favorites. I assume that it was after his apprenticeship that he went to Charlotte Hall Military Academy.

When be went to this school he was lodged in the home of Professor Featherbridge, apparently a tall lean and spare man, about whom the students would sing “Blessings on thee little man built upon the flag pole plan”

His living quarters were in an attic accessed by a rope ladder, which was faithfully retrieved when he and his roommate were safely in their quarters. Here they could relax safe from the critical eye of the faculty.

Charlotte Hall is in St. Mary’s County, Maryland, the heart of what was then the tobacco growing country of Maryland. After harvest the tobacco stalks are hung in barns whose sides are loose to allow plenty of air to circulate and dry the tobacco.

It was well within the competence and the inclination of Harry and his friends to take a long stick with a nail in the end to form a type of hook, reach in to a barn, between the boards forming the sides, hook a stalk of tobacco and retrieve it from the barn. This tobacco was dried, but not “cured”. It was a strong and bitter potion. Mellowed only by the manner of its acquisition. Harry and his room mate had acquired two long stemmed clay pipes which they had decorated with paint and feathers in the manner of Indian peace pipes. On this occasion they took their raw tobacco up into their lodgings, pulled up their rope ladder and closed the trap door. They packed their pipes and smoked them.

About this time, Professor Featherbridge decided to make an inspection of the quarters. He apparently had his own ladder for these occasions. The boys, hearing him coming, quickly hung their pipes an the wall where they usually kept them, put on their innocent expression conceived for such occasions, and greeted the Professor. He sniffed and sniffed and announced that he smelled tobacco smoke. There were professions of innocence, and then the Professor spotted the Indian Peace pipes hanging on the wall. He went over and took hold of one of them by the bowl and burned his hand. Naturally, there were appropriate “demerits” for this infraction of the “rules”.

The system of “demerits”, designed to maintain a standard of discipline among the students, was probably a very workable deterrent in most cases, however, “little Harry” seemed little impressed.

The story goes, that he acquired a great many of those badges, and on one occasion, when called into the office concerning the matter, he was told that if he acquired any more, he would be dismissed and sent home. His response was that they certainly would not send him home, because if they did they would have to refund the tuition fee that his father had paid, and that, they would never do. I have no information as to the outcome of his efforts at this institution.

On one occasion, the troops were ordered out in their dress uniforms. Apparently very ornate, and their officers took them out for drill. Harry’s company was taken to a field that was rather low and wet with pools of water. The officer in charge, one of the students, ordered the boys to execute an “extended order” maneuver. This maneuver required the troops to run , carrying their weapons and then fall flat on the ground. Harry refused to obey the order. He told the officer that his father had paid too much money for the uniform for it to be treated in such a manner. He was put under arrest and a guard of four soldiers marched him back toward the guard house. One of the Professors saw the guards with Harry and stopped them. He asked Harry what he had been up to this time. He told him all that had transpired. The Professor relieved the guard. The next day the “officer” was a private in the rear ranks.