"William was enrolled on the 26th day of September 1862, at Camp Butler in Company 'A', 128th Regiment of Illinois Volunteers, to serve 3 years, or during the during, and mustered into service as a Private on the 4th day of November 1862, at Camp Butler, in Company 'A', 128th Regiment of Illinois Volunteers.  On the Regiments Monthly Return of the 9th Regiment, Illinois Volunteers for the month of March 1864, W. W. Sanders is reported 'Transferred to Co. 'G' from the 128th Illinois Volunteers, March 15th, 1864.' On the Monthly Return from May 1864, he is reported "Died of disease at Decatur, Alabama, April 26th, 1864."

Note: William's wife died three months after the death of William.  Elisha and Sarah Sanders raised their two orphaned grandchildren.  Their names were: John Overton Sanders and Joseph Leroy Sanders.