Thank you to all those who replied !

John M. Elder's address is indeed listed in the census as LEWISBURG. His wife is buried not far from there w her daughter at Campground Cemetery. We paid our respects there last summer while visiting and doing some research around Hot Springs. and Morrilton. According to what we found on the history... "of the 900 men in Conway Co. who fought in the Civil War, only 200 ever returned home". Sometimes I think I should just give up on his research, but then that would not be a fair to his memory either.
So if anyone comes across anything that looks applicable, please let me know. Meanwhile, I will keep working at the "mule in a ditch".