Private William A. Henderson

William Henderson was a boy when his father went off to preserve the union as a solider in the Fifth Iowa Cavalry. His older brother had joined an Ohio regiment, as he had apparently remained in Ohio when the rest of the family moved to Iowa. As the eldest son at home, he doubtless felt a responsibility to care for his mother and siblings. But even this could not restrain him when he turned eighteen and rushed to join company C alongside his father, Sergeant Andrew Henderson.

He enlisted on April 10, 1864 and mustered May 9, 1864. Along with his father, he transferred into company G, of the Fifth Iowa Volunteer Cavalry on August 8, 1864. Together the two men, father and son who had placed their lives in jeopardy to preserve the Union, mustered out on August 11, 1865 at Nashville, Tennessee. William had six children and lived a long life, dying on November 25, 1914.