CREIGHTON, WILLIAM R. (June 1837-27 Nov. 1863), a volunteer CIVIL WAR officer born in Pittsburgh, Pa., was a printer at the CLEVELAND HERALD when war began. Creighton recruited a company of infantry on 17 Apr. 1861, mustered as Co. A, 7TH OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. Elected lieutenant colonel, he was promoted to colonel on 23 Mar. 1862 after meritorious service at the Battle of Winchester, Va. On 9 Aug. 1862, he was severely wounded at Clear Mountain, Va., and did not rejoin the 7th until Sept. 1862.
On 27 Nov. 1863, Creighton, in command of the 1st Brigade, was ordered to assault the 500-ft.-high Taylor's Ridge near Ringgold, Ga. The brigade struggled and Creighton, rallying his former regiment, then commanded by Lt. Col. ORRIN J. CRANE, who was killed, was shot through the heart and carried down the ridge, dying 6 hours later.
Creighton's and Crane's remains were transported back to Cleveland, kept at City Hall the night of 7-8 Dec. 1863, and taken to Old Stone Church for a memorial service on 8 Dec. They were transported to ERIE ST. CEMETERY and temporarily deposited in the Bradburn family vault. Later, both Creighton and Crane were buried side by side in WOODLAND CEMETERY. Ft. Wood at Chattanooga, Tenn., was renamed Ft. Creighton in the colonel's honor. Creighton was survived by his widow, the former Eleanor L. Quirk, whom he had married on 2 May 1861. A bust of Creighton is displayed in the SOLDIERS & SAILORS MONUMENT.
Wm. R. Creighton Papers, 1862-64. In Regimental Papers of the Civil War, WRHS.