Arnold Elzey was a member of one of the older families of Maryland. His father, Arnold Elzey Jones, had twice represented Somerset County in the Maryland legislature.
His mother, Anne Wilson (Jackson), was of a wealthy and prominent family. Their son, born at "Elmwood, ” the residence of his parents on the Manokin River in Somerset County, was educated for a military career.
He graduated from West Point in 1837 in his twentieth year, and was commissioned as second-lieutenant of artillery.
He served with credit as lieutenant in the Seminole War, and at the opening of the Mexican War was in command of a battery of aitillery at Brownsville on the Texas frontier. He had the honor of firing the first gun in that war, through which he served with distinction, and was twice brevetted for gallant conduct in the battles of Contreras and Churubusco. In 1861 he was serving as captain of artillery with a small number of men in command of the United States arsenal at Augusta, Georgia. He surrendered this post to superior forces of the Confederate States immediately after the fall of Fort Sumter, and brought his command back to Washington. He resigned his commission, made his way back to Richmond, and was commissioned lieutenantcolonel in the Confederate army, in command of the 16t Maryland Infantry then in process of organization. Early in the war his brigade was attached to Stonewall Jackson’s forces, and he fought with this division through the Valley campaign and up to the Seven Days’ fighting around Richmond. At the battle of Port Republic he had a horse shot under him and was slightly wounded, and at Cold Harbor he was desperately wounded by a ball through his face and head. This wound prevented further active command, but after his recovery he was promoted major-general and placed in command of the Department of Richmond, where he continued till the fall of 1864. While in this position he organized the “Local Defence Brigade” composed of government clerks and workmen. This force did service in the capture of Dahlgren, the repulse of Stoneman’s, Kilpatrick’s, and Sheridan’s attempts on Richmond, and won the praise of Gen. Lee for its fine appearance and quick movements. After a brief service in organization at Staunton he joined Gen. Hood as chief of artillery in the Army of Tennessee, and took part in the operations against Sherman’s lines of communications. After the dissolution of Hood’s army, he remained in Georgia without definite command till the capture of Jefferson Davis, when he was allowed to return to Maryland. He died of pneumonia, while on a visit to Dr. Frank Donaldson of Baltimore.
At the first battle of Manassas he was ranking as senior colonel—in General Kirby Smith’s brigade, and after Kirby Smith was wounded and borne from the field he led the successful charge on the afternoon of that day which turned the tide of battle and routed the almost successful army of McDowell. For this he was complimented by General Beauregard, who called him the Blucher of the Field, ” and was promoted brigadier-general on the field of battle by President Davis.
Elzey was of modest unassuming manners, known for his intrepid courage, genuinely loved by friends, and thoroughly respected by his fellow officers in both the Federal and Confederate armies.
He then retired to a small farm in Anne Arundel Countv, where he lived for five years with his only son and his wife, Ellen Irwin of Baltimore, to whom he was married in 1845.
