A History of the Rachal Family of White Point, Texas - New Page 1

that he saw on the bay that he would later come back to own it. At the time, this land wascovered with knee-high grass and low mesquite brush growing in clumps and was the home ofunbranded and un-owned horses and cattle running wild waiting to be claimed.In 1861 with the Civil War in full swing, D.C. was called to the civil war cause. He wasapparently a student at St. Mary‘s College in Galveston at the time, along with his brother Frank.In August, 1861, D.C. enlisted in the Confederate Army. He enlisted in Company F of the Fifthregiment of Texas Volunteers (later to be known as ―Hood‘s Texas Brigade‖). Frank alsoenlisted.Details of D.C.‘s involvement in the civil war will be documented later in this report.D.C. participated in numerous battles for about four years and was then honorably dischargedfrom military service on 30 June 1865 as a Captain. He thenreturned to Liberty Texas. There he married Julia Bryan.There is a conflict of dates regarding his marriage date versushis discharge. One source gives his marriage date as only 1865.This would be consistent with his June 1865 discharge.Another source, Julia‘s obituary in 1911, gives her weddingdate as 29 December 1864. If D.C. was discharged in June1865, then they would have to have been married while he wason a furlough. He was on a furlough in September 1864.Note: a letter exists written by D.C requesting reassignmentafter a furlough. Here are some key points about the letter:Written in Liberty, TX, in September 1864States that DC was on furlough in March 1864.He returned to duty, saw action, was captured by the enemy, then released on anexchange in Alexandria, LA, and was furloughed again.Requested assignment to any unit west of the Mississippi, in particular General Major‘sbrigade in Louisiana.No response or follow up is available regarding this letter.While the details of this time are sketchy, it is known that their first child, Florence Emma, wasborn on 8 September 1866.One account of D.C.‘s life says that some time after Florence was born, D.C. left his wife andchild in Liberty and went to San Patricio County to be a ―beef driver‖ for a wage of $2.50 perday. He did this because there was no employment to be found in Liberty. Later, after buildingup some wealth and acquiring some livestock of his own, D.C. purchased some property fromthe Whites who then built a small home for D.C. in White Point. D.C. then brought his familythere to live.19 | A H i s t o r y o f t h e R a c h a l F a m i l y