Roll of Honor
Incident
In May of 1850, Texas Ranger Privates D.C. “Doc” Sullivan, John Lemon Wilbarger and Alpheus D. Neill were granted leaves to take care of legal business by Captain John S. “Rip” Ford. After their leaves expired, the men met in San Antonio Viejo to travel together. The three rangers discovered they were being tracked by about 30 Indians. The rangers had good horses and could have escaped, but they decided to stand and fight. As the Indians advanced, one had a long range rifle and fired, and the ball struck Sullivan in the body. He was lifted from his horse which was tied to a tree. Sullivan told the other two rangers not to stay with him. He said, “I am killed…you can do me no good…make your escape.” A shot from the Indians struck him in the head, killing him. Wilbarger ran toward the camp and evidence discovered later indicated he killed 2-3 Indians before he fell. Neill had inadvertently attached his weapons to the pommel of his saddle. He mounted; his horse ran under the rope of Sullivan’s horse, and Neill was dragged off his horse. The Indians caught his horse and had his weapons. He received at least eight wounds and fainted from loss of blood. After the Indians left, Neill extracted several arrows from his body. He had been stripped of his clothes. In the blistering sun and naked, Neill walked and crawled 65 miles to San Patricio. A group of citizens returned to the scene and buried Sullivan and Wilbarger. Wilbarger’s body was reinterred in 1936 to the Texas State Cemetery. It is unknown where Sullivan’s body is located.
Alpheus D. Neill later became a Waco police officer, and on February 6, 1877 he was killed in the line of duty.
Private Wilbarger, 170 years ago you selflessly and heroically made the ultimate sacrifice and today, as well as everyday, we say thank you for your service and please know that no passage of time will ever erase your heroism and sacrifice.
Detective Cpl/3 Steven Rizzo Delaware State Police (Retired) August 20th, 2020
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- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
176 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Private Wilbarger served with the Texas Rangers.
Thank you for your service to the Austin community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Private John Lemon Wilbarger is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Texas Rangers, 104 of 122 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 85.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Lemon Wilbarger's cause is highlighted.
How John Lemon Wilbarger Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Lemon Wilbarger is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John Lemon Wilbarger was killed by unknown weapon.
Others Who Wore This Badge
121 officers from Texas Rangers are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
