William Brown was a resident of Mansfield on February 20, 1864 when he enlisted as a Private in Co. C of the 7th Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry; he transferred to the ship U.S.S. Mackinaw of the United States Navy on April 28, 1864 and deserted on April 30, 1864.

He was not living in Mansfield in the 1860 U.S. census; no further information is known.