[7] Having enrolled just ten days after the April 13, 1861 fall of Fort Sumter to the Confederate States Army, William Sands narrowly missed earning the designation of “First Defender,” which was awarded to those men from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania who were members of the first five regiments to respond to President Abraham Lincoln's call for volunteers to preserve America's union.

After re-enrolling in Philadelphia on September 12, 1861, he officially re-mustered in there that same day for a three-year term of service with the 88th Pennsylvania Infantry as a field musician with the regiment's B Company (also known as the Neversink Zouaves).

[10][11] Military records at the time described him as being a 25-year-old painter residing in Berks County who was 5’ 6-1/2” tall with sandy hair, brown eyes and a light complexion.

[12][13] Transported by rail to Washington, D.C. in early October 1861, Sands and his fellow 88th Pennsylvania Volunteers helped to defend the nation's capital through October 12 when they were moved to Alexandria, Virginia and assigned to guard duty, a mission they continued to perform at various duty stations through May 25, 1862 when they were marched to Front Royal, placed on a train, and transported to Manassas, Warrenton and Culpeper.

The battle successfully concluded, they were moved to Pony Mountain and Warrenton before engaging in operations near Thoroughfare Gap, Gainesville and Manassas Junction.

After re-engaging with the enemy near Bowling Green on December 13, Sands and his regiment were ordered to make camp for the winter at Fletcher's Chapel, where they remained until they were assigned to participate in Major-General Ambrose Burnside's Mud March (mid-January 1863).

Returned to winter quarters after the failed operation, they next engaged the enemy at points along the Rappahannock River (April 28), and were then reassigned to Major-General John F. Reynolds’ corps as part of the Gettysburg Campaign.

[16][17][18][19] After emerging from their winter quarters at Culpeper on May 3, 1864, Sands and his fellow 88th Pennsylvanians were then assigned to Lieutenant-General Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign, during which they fought in the battles of Spotsylvania Court House (on May 8 and 12), North Anna (May 23), Totopotomoy Creek (May 26), and White Oak Swamp (June 12) before engaging with other Union troops in the Siege of Petersburg, during which time Sands and his regiment charged and routed the enemy from various entrenched positions while under heavy artillery and sharpshooter fire.

[25][26][27] In his report to superiors on February 14, B Company Captain Aaron Bright, Jr., who had served as the acting commanding officer of the 88th Pennsylvania during the engagement, described how that day had unfolded for his regiment as it fought with other members of the Union's 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division:[28] We moved our camp from Jerusalem plank road on February 5, 1865, and at 6 p.m. arrived two miles to the left of Hatcher's Run; we formed line of battle and remained over night.

[30][31][32][33] Following his honorable discharge from the military, Sands returned home to his wife in Berks County, Pennsylvania, and resumed his job as a painter.

Date of issue: November 9, 1893.Citation:[38][39][40] The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to First Sergeant William Sands, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on February 6-7, 1865, while serving with Company G, 88th Pennsylvania Infantry, in action at Dabney's Mills, Virginia.