Early Life and Career
Keyes was born in Brimfield, Massachusetts. While still a youth, he moved with his family to Kennebec County, Maine. Although his father, Justus, was renowned as a physician and surgeon, Erasmus decided to pursue a military career and enrolled in the United States Military Academy. He graduated 10th out of a class of 45 in 1832, and was commissioned a brevet second lieutenant in the 3rd U.S. Artillery.
Keyes served in Charleston Harbor during the nullification crisis of 1832–33, and served as an aide to General Winfield Scott from 1837 to 1841. Keyes was promoted to captain on November 30, 1841. He served in various garrisons until 1844 and then functioned as an artillery and cavalry instructor at West Point. During 1844, he was a member of the Academy's Board of Visitors.
After his service at West Point, he was then sent with the U.S. 3rd Artillery Regiment in 1854 around Cape Horn to California and served on the Pacific frontier in garrison duty and campaigns until 1860. While there Keyes served in the Pacific Northwest from the winter of 1855 in the Puget Sound War. Keyes's artillery Company M was sent to Fort Steilacoom. While there, in January 1856, he made two attempts to capture Chief Leschi but without success. March 4, 1856, he and 100 Regulars fought a skirmish at the White River and Muckleshoot Prairie. During the Spokane – Coeur d'Alene – Paloos War Captain Keyes was sent ahead with a detachment of dragoons to establish Fort Taylor and a ferry crossing the Snake River for Colonel George Wright's army. In the following campaign he commanded four companies of rifle armed artillerymen against the allied tribes at the Battle of Four Lakes. Shortly after this battle, Keyes received his commission of major on October 12, 1858. General Scott appointed Keyes his military secretary on January 1, 1860, a position Keyes filled until April 1861.
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