Enlistment Date: February 11, 1862
Unit: 11th Pennsylvania Regiment, Company K
William Willard was born on April 13, 1838 in Pennsylvania. He joined the army during the war and was placed in the 11th Pennsylvania Regiment, Company K.
On June 26, 1862, the regiment participated in the Battle of Mechanicsville. Unfortunately, the regiment could not secure victory and a majority of the regiment became prisoners of war. This regiment remained war prisoners until August 5, 1862 when they were ransomed.
Following the ransom, the regiment received replacement troops for those who could not continue fighting. The regiment was then sent to offer help at the Second Battle of Bull Run on August 29, 1862. The regiment fought in the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862, in which it lost seven members. The regiment then participated in the Battle of Fredericksburg from December 11 to 15, 1862. The regiment suffered heavily with there being 112 either killed, wounded, or missing.
Later on, the eleventh played a role in the Battle of Gettysburg, arriving on July 2, 1863. During this battle, 83 members of the regiment were wounded with three members being killed. This was the last large battle that the regiment took part in with the regiment being mustered out the following year. When the regiment was mustered out, Willard was unaccounted for due to illness.
Following the war, he married Elizabeth S. Gibson. He died on July 21, 1910.
(Compiled by Raymond Aguiar)