 On 12 September 1839, at the age of 5 years 7 months, he was enrolled in the Duke of York's Royal Military Academy at Chelsea.This was an early age for enrollment in this boarding school and in his biography of Phasey, John Roberts speculates that this might have been due to the death of his mother with his father being unable, due to commitments to the service, to raise him alone.He would remain at the RMA beyond his 14th year, the customary age at which students then enlisted in the service, not leaving until 12 February 1849, when he enlisted in the band of the Coldstream Guards.