William R Male

William R Male served in Company E of the 17th West Virignia Infantry from August 29, 1864 until the regiment was mustered out of service at the end of the war on June 30, 1865.

Partly because the regiment was formed toward the end of the war, it did not see any major combat. It was placed on railroad and garrison duty near Clarksburg, WV. Even in relatively peaceful settings, the regiment lost one man to death in action and 24 to death by disease.

William died on January 2, 1883 from pulmonary consumption. His wife, Alcinda, applied for a widow's pension on the premise that his lung disease was a result of measles contracted during the War. She was approved for this pension, but was later dropped from the pension rolls on March 1, 1894.