Captain Samuel Sherer Elder
Battery B, First United States Artillery
"Elder's Horse Battery"

Photograph taken at Culpepper, Virginia.
September 1863. See below.


Original photograph of 4th U.S. Artillery officers.
Captain Elder is standing fourth from right. Enlarged photograph is above.
Elder commanded Battery E, 4th U.S. Artillery at that time.
Library of Congress


Captain (brevet rank) Elder with group of officers and a cannon.
Photograph taken at Culpepper, Virginia. Captain Elder is standing at far left.
Other identified officers standing left to right: Lt. Alanson M. Randol, 1st U.S., Batts. E & G.; Lt. C.K. Warner;
Lt. Alex C.M. Pennington, 2d U.S., Batt. M.; Lt. Rufus King, Jr., 4th U.S. Batt. A.; Lt. T. Riley; Lt. H. B. Read.
Seated man in civilian clothes unidentified.
Library of Congress

Below is a photograph of a letter (with partial text) Captain Elder wrote to his neice Lizzie. The letter was written at Yorktown Virginia, on 3 May 1864, but concerns items Edler picked up during the Florida campaign.

"... Which will be in a few days I no doubt. Tell Robbie I captured a sword at camp Finegan Florida which I would like to send him if i knew how, I have a couple of table covers which I rescued from destruction at Baldwin after the Battle of Olustee which I would like to send to you and Allie but I am afraid a box would hardly reach you from here. I would try it but I am afraid of loosing the articles espsecially the sword. Now I have written you a long letter and you must write me one as long or longer. Give Allie this kiss for me..." (text left as written by Captain Elder)

According to the book Army of Amateurs (p. 49), one night, during the siege of Petersburg, Captain Elder went on a drinking spree and blundered his way into Confederate lines. The next day he was both hung over and a prisoner.

External Web sites related to the Battle of Olustee
Wikipedia page on Captain Samuel Sherer Elder, 1st U.S. Artillery

Return to the Union Support Units page
Battle of Olustee home page