A month later, he was commissioned surgeon and assigned to duty under Captain David Porter, who was a personal friend of the doctor.
[4] He served in the Pennsylvania Militia and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the One Hundredth Regiment, Second Brigade, Third Division, on August 3, 1821.
[5] In 1823, Anderson was recalled to active duty in the Navy and was assigned to the West Indies Squadron commanded by Commodore Porter.
[6] In 1827, Anderson was elected to the Twentieth Congress to represent Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district and served until 1829.
During his Speakership, he signed important bills on road construction as well as canal and railroad incorporation and regulation.