His influential father managed to obtain for his son a second lieutenant's commission in the 6th U.S. Infantry on July 10, 1839, at roughly the time his classmates graduated.
Hans indflydelsesrige far sørgede for at han alligevel fik en stilling som sekondløjtnant i 6th U.S. Infantry den 10. juli 1839, nogenlunde samtidig med at hans klassekammerater fik deres eksamen.