William Anderson was a resident of Mansfield on January 8, 1864 when he enlisted as a Private in Co. K of the 29th (Colored) Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry; he was detailed as an ambulance guard on December 8, 1864. He was mustered out in Brownsville, Texas on October 24, 1865.

The descriptive muster roll for the 29^th (Colored) Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry lists his age as 25 and his occupation as farmer.  He is described as 5’ 8 ¾” tall with a black complexion and black hair and black eyes.  His marital status is single.
He was born about 1839 in New Brunswick, Canada. William Anderson was not a resident of Mansfield in the 1860 U.S. census; no further information is known.