William Atwater's ancestors came from England in 1637, and settled in New Haven CT. His grandfather Abel and Great grandfather Samuel are recognized by the Daughters of the American Revolution for their patriotic service.

Abel brought the family to Ohio, and his father Lyman came to Fulton Co Illinois. William moved his family to Kansas in 1876.

William married Sarah Becca Rounds April 2 1865 in Fulton Co IL.

He married Lillie Jane Day Pierce 1889.
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History of the 85th Illinois Volunteers
Illinois Volunteer Infantry
by
Henry J. Aten
1901
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Pages 433 - 449

WILLIAM ATWATER, aged twenty, farmer, born in Fulton county, Illinois, and enlisted from Woodland. Served through the Kentucky campaign until the command arrived at Bowling Green, where he was sent to the hospital, and was discharged from disability March 1, 1863. Is supposed to reside at Oakwood, Linn county, Kansas.

****Bio of William' brother Miles, who also served with the 85th Illinois, Co G:
MILES L. ATWATER was born in Sheffield, Ashtabula county, Ohio, married, cooper, and enlisted from Woodland, Fulton county, Illinois. He served until the close of the war, but under much embarrassment at times. He was what was commonly termed moon-eyes, a disease of the retina which prevented him from seeing at night, and the writer remembers that his brother led him on night marches. But he served faithfully to the end and was mustered out with the regiment. After the war he lived near Hamilton, in Hancock county, Illinois, but became totally blind. He died April 20, 1898.****

So many of the young men from the south part of Fulton county had entered the army in 1861 that few were so sanguine as to expect that more than one company could be raised in and around Astoria when recruiting began in the summer of 1862. But by the middle of August enough had enlisted to form two full companies.

Company G was enrolled by the Hon. S. P. Cummings between the 11th and 16th of August, the nucleus of the company being the overflow form Company H, it having been the first organized. At the organization of the company the following commissioned officers were elected: William McClelland, captain; Lafayette Curless, first lieutenant, and John M. Robertson, second lieutenant.

The record shows that 20 of the officers and men belonging to his company were hit with shot or shell in battle, 8 of who were killed, 1 died of wounds, while 11 received wounds which did not prove fatal while in the service, 9 died of disease, 11 were discharged fro disability, 16 were transferred and 36 went home together when the regiment was disbanded.

The company was commanded by officers who were brave and enterprising, and, for genuine loyalty and devotion to duty, Company G was the peer of any organization in the service. While the writer feels that his heart is big enough to take in the whole of the Eighty-fifth, there will always be a warm corner reserved for the "boys of Company G".