He served in the War of 1812. 1814 he received an appointment as Cadet at West Point. He rode to Washington on horseback with his uncle Richard M. Johnson, later Vice-President of the U. S., arriving just after the city had been burned. In June 1815 the accidental discharge of a cannon at West Point tore off his right arm and so injured his eyes as to result in his ultimate total blindness. He was serving the gun with a sponge-and-rammer-staff, while Cadet Davies (later Professor and author of well-known mathematical text-books) was "thumbing the vent.” Mr. Davies took his thumb off the vent prematurely, with the usual result. Mr. Payne was furloughed in Sept 1815, discharged 28 Feb 1818, and granted a pension of $8 per month.