Roll of Honor
R. W. Townsend
Incident
Deputy U.S. Marshal Dick Townsend was shot and killed near Buttermilk Junction at the intersection of E. Morningside Street at Main Street in Forth Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. On April 3, 1886, a group of law enforcement officers attempted to escort a train out of Fort Worth. The train was southbound, where four strikers were seen tampering with a track switch. Special Deputy Townsend and other law enforcement officers stopped the train to arrest the men. Several other strikers were seen with Winchester rifles, reclining in a gully. Deputy Jim “Longhair” Courtwright requested the riflemen lay down their weapons. They opened fire on the lawmen. Deputy Townsend was guarding the prisoners when a rifle bullet struck him just above the heart. Two other Deputies were wounded in the initial gunfire from the strikers. The lawmen returned fire, but the strikers were out of pistol range. A mortally wounded Deputy Townsend emptied one pistol and crawled back to the cab of the train engine. Once in the cab of the train engine, Deputy Townsend turned his pistols over to the train fireman. Deputy Townsend died at 2:13 p.m. the next day, April 4, 1886. Shortly after the battle and amid the threat of escalating violence, Fort Worth's mayor and Sheriff requested two Companies of Texas Rangers or State Militia from the governor of Texas. Deputy U.S. Marshal Townsend also served as a Special Deputy for the Tarrant County, Sheriff's Office.
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- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Deputy U.S. Marshal Townsend served with the United States Department of Justice.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy U.S. Marshal R. W. Townsend 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 DC, 754 of 1,418 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.2% of this state's fallen. That is 53.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service, 251 of 313 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. R. W. Townsend's cause is highlighted.
How R. W. Townsend Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. R. W. Townsend is highlighted in Apr.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. R. W. Townsend was killed by rifle.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
312 officers from United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
