William Moseley Butler joined Company K on 15 May 1861 at Maxey's Depot in Oglethorpe County and was mustered in by Captain George Lumpkin. He is on the roll taken at Howard's Grove VA, 3 June 1861 and on the Nov. 1861 and January 1862 rolls he is listed as a teamster. On the Nov. and Dec. 1862 rolls he is absent, and a hospital record demonstrates that he was probably wounded during the Sharpsburg campaign. He was admitted to the General Hospital at Charlottesville, VA on 23 Sept. 1862 with the complaint of "vulnu. sclop." which in the medical terminology of that day referred to a wound caused by gunshot. He was furloughed 8 Oct 1862 and returned to service 8 March 1863, according to a compensation request signed by Captain T. J. Bowling, Captain Newton, and Lt. Col. John R. Towers. He was paid $49.50 for rations while on furlough. This was 16 March 1863.

Evidently, he was wounded again during the Gettysburg campaign as he was admitted to the Receiving and Wayside Hospital or General Hospital No. 9 in Richmond on 12 July 1863. He was listed on the rolls at Camp Winder No. 1 on 13 July 1863.

In March and April 1864 he was on extra duty as a brigade cattle driver, but there is a request for a pair of boots in late spring, where he wrote that he was leaving from the Hospital to "go into the Breast Works and am without shoes." He received those shoes at Lynchburg, VA on 18 June 1864 but evidently was too ill or was wounded immediately for he is listed sick at Lynchburg on the July, August, Sept., and Oct. returns.