Roll of Honor
Incident
In the summer of 1870 the State of Texas created the Frontier Forces as an effort after the Civil War to protect its western frontier. German born Captain Henrich Joseph Richarz commanded Company E assigned to Fort Inge in Uvalde County. Captain Richarz’s company was to prevent Indian raids from Mexico.
On December 6, 1870, a ranger scouting party led by Doctor J. E. Woodbridge, who had suspended his practice to serve as a ranger officer, were on patrol with fourteen men, with three men on a side scout. The rangers met an estimated seventy Comanche. The Comanche formed two lines on a slight rise and soon flanked the eleven rangers, who made a stubborn resistance using their repeating Winchester rifles to wound several Indians. Woodbridge was hit in the head by an Indian and unhorsed in a hand-to-hand encounter. When several rangers came to his rescue, Private Lorenzo Biediger was killed. The three absent rangers heard the sounds of heavy firing and returned, striking the flank of the surprised Comanche, killing a chief. The Comanche withdrew back into Mexico.
Also on December 6, another band of Indians killed Privates Walter Richarz, son of Captain Richarz, and Joseph Riff, at a creek about sixteen miles from Fort Inge. Evidence at the scene indicated the two rangers put up a fierce fight. Lt. Xaver Wanz departed from Fort Inge with the reserve force to track the Indians, but the raiders had escaped back into Mexico.
All three rangers were from Medina County and enlisted on September 9, 1870 and served for two months and 27 days until their deaths on December 6, 1870. Walter Richarz was 24, single, and was buried in the Rudinger/Richarz Cemetery in D’Hanis in Medina County. Lorenzo Biediger was 24, single, and was buried in the St. Louis Cemetery in Castroville in Medina County. Joseph R. Riff was 23, married, and was also buried in the St. Louis Cemetery in Castroville in Medina County.
On this 150th anniversary of your untimely death, please know that no passage of time can ever erase your service and sacrifice. Rest in peace always.
Detective Cpl/3 Steven Rizzo Delaware State Police (Retired) December 6th, 2020
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- August 2, 2026
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- August 2, 2026
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156 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Private Riff 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 Joseph R. Riff is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In TX, 1,461 of 2,422 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.3% of this state's fallen. That is 60.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
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. Joseph R. Riff's cause is highlighted.
How Joseph R. Riff Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph R. Riff is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Joseph R. Riff 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.
