George Elder (British Army officer) facts for kids

Sir George Elder (died 3 December 1836) was a brave British Army officer. He fought in important wars like the Napoleonic Wars, including the Peninsular War in Spain and Portugal. He also served in South America. Sadly, he died in an accident in Madras, India, when he was thrown from his horse.

Early Life and Joining the Army

George Elder was born in Inverness-shire, Scotland. He really wanted to join the British Army. In November 1800, he became a Second Lieutenant in a special unit called the Experimental Corps of Riflemen. This unit was led by Colonel Coote Manningham.

Training and Promotions

While training at Weymouth, Lieutenant Elder impressed King George III with his hard work. He was a very good soldier and always did his duty. Another officer, Sir Sidney Beckwith, was so impressed that he helped Elder get promoted to First Lieutenant in 1803.

Later, in 1805, Lieutenant Elder was stationed at Shorncliffe Army Camp. Here, he worked under the famous General Sir John Moore. General Moore noticed how well Elder trained his company. Because of his excellent work, Elder was promoted to Captain in the 2nd battalion of the 95th Rifles.

Fighting in South America

In 1806, Captain Elder's company joined an expedition to South America.

The Battle of Monte Video

During the attack on Monte Video, Captain Elder showed great courage. He led his company to the enemy's walls and was one of the first to get inside. He then quickly took control of the Cathedral tower. From there, his soldiers fired at the enemy, helping the British troops clear the walls. For his bravery, he received special thanks from his commanding officer.

The Attack on Buenos Ayres

In 1807, Captain Elder moved with his troops to attack Buenos Ayres. On the way, he helped build a bridge across a river in just two hours. This allowed the artillery (big guns) to cross quickly. This helped the British light brigade defeat a much larger Spanish force of 5,000 men. Captain Elder's company even charged the enemy's side, helping to capture eleven of their cannons.

General Robert Craufurd, another important commander, was very impressed with Captain Elder. He praised Elder's skill in setting up guard posts.

A Serious Injury

While scouting ahead, Captain Elder was shot and badly wounded in the leg. General Craufurd thought he had been killed and said, "There falls as brave and gallant a fellow as ever lived!" Elder was carried off the battlefield. He lost the use of his legs for a while, but his strong body helped him recover. The bullet was never removed, and he often felt pain from it.

The Peninsular War

In 1808, Captain Elder joined the army fighting in the Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) under Sir John Moore. He was often fighting the enemy while the army retreated towards Corunna. After the Battle of Corunna, he returned to England.

Leading Portuguese Troops

In 1809, Elder was promoted to Major. He was then given command of the 3rd battalion of Caçadores (Portuguese light infantry) in the Portuguese Army, with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. His old company gave him a special sword as a gift when he left, showing how much they respected him.

Lieutenant-Colonel Elder worked very hard to train his new battalion. The Duke of Wellington, the famous British commander, and Marshal Beresford reviewed his troops. Wellington told Elder, "Colonel Elder, the Marshal and myself are under great obligations to you for the fine state of discipline to which you have brought your battalion."

Key Battles and Achievements

Elder's 3rd Caçadores fought bravely in many battles:

• Almeida (1810): They attacked two groups of French cavalry and almost destroyed them.
• Côa (1810): Their brave actions were praised and compared to British troops.
• Busaco (1810): Elder's horse was shot from under him. His battalion fought all day and was praised by Wellington for their "gallant behaviour."
• Alenquer (1810): They held a bridge against a large enemy force in bad weather, allowing the Allied Army to retreat safely.
• Ponte Solario (1810-1811): Elder was trusted with guarding this important forward post for over three months.
• Pombal (1811): Elder held the Castle of Pombal for over ten hours against 10,000 enemy soldiers, receiving thanks from Wellington.
• Redinha (1811): Wellington said he had "never witnessed a more brilliant attack" than the one made by Elder's Caçadores and the 52nd Regiment.
• Foz d'Arouce (1811): They helped attack the enemy so quickly that the French were confused and lost an eagle (a battle standard) and many men.
• Sabugal (1811): Elder's troops crossed a river under fire and drove back the enemy. Wellington thanked him personally.
• Espeja (1811): They bravely fought off seven groups of enemy cavalry, earning public thanks from General Craufurd.
• Fuentes d'Onore (1811): Elder helped cover the retreat of the light division. After this battle, he was promoted to a British Lieutenant-Colonel.

Storming Fortresses

Lieutenant-Colonel Elder's Caçadores were often at the front lines.

• Ciudad Rodrigo (1812): His battalion was the first to start digging trenches around the fortress. During the attack, they led the charge, carrying sacks of hay to fill the ditch. They were publicly thanked by General Picton and praised by Wellington.
• Badajoz (1812): Elder led a brigade (a group of battalions) to the main breach in the walls. He was severely wounded and left for dead. But he managed to call out to his old regiment, the 95th, and two of his former soldiers carried him to safety. He suffered from tetanus (lockjaw) but miraculously recovered thanks to his friend, Dr. Charles Fergusson Forbes.

Because of his severe wounds, Sir George Elder had to return to England. He was honored with knighthoods by both Portugal and the United Kingdom.

Return to Service

In 1813, Sir George Elder, though still recovering, rejoined the army in France. He was promoted to Colonel and given command of the 7th Regiment of Portuguese infantry. He captured the Fortress of Blaye, a very important achievement at the end of the war.

After the war ended in 1814, Sir George Elder returned to Portugal. He was promoted to Brigadier in 1816 and later to Major-General.

Later Life and Death

Sir George Elder received the Gold Cross of the Peninsular Gold Medal for his bravery in battles like Busaco, Fuentes d'Onore, Ciudad Rodrigo, and Badajoz. He had been wounded nine times in battle, eight of which were very serious.

In 1830, he was promoted to Major General and made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath by King William IV. He also received honors from Spain and Portugal.

In August 1836, Major-General Sir George Elder traveled to Madras, India, for a new assignment. Sadly, just one week after arriving, on 3 December 1836, he died in a horse-riding accident. He was riding a spirited horse that crashed into a tree. He died instantly from his injuries. Many military and civil leaders, and a large number of people in Madras, attended his funeral to show their respect.