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

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Sometime after Chrys died in 1942, the family moved out of the old house and it stood vacantuntil 1956 when it was razed. Cyprus wood from the home was used to build other smallerdwellings on the property.The picture at the right is the old smokehouse on theproperty.It should be noted that White Point was not just alarge home. It was nearly a small village. In additionto the home, the Mexican and Black ranch hands andtheir families lived in separate buildings on the ranch,and it also had a post office located at the ranchheadquarters. The official address was ―Rosita‖ or―La Rosita Ranch‖ since the postal service refusedD.C.‘s request to call it Rachal or White Point. D.C. was Rosita‘s first postmaster.THE DanceSALUTE YOUR PARTNERTHEY DANCED ALL NIGHT AND DANCED ALL DAY ANDTHEN DANCED SOME MORE(From the Corpus Christi Caller of June 2, 1893)Col. D. C. Rachal, San Patricio's big farmer, has a thousand acresplanted in cotton this season, besides several hundred acres in corn.The prospects for a fine crop could not possibly be finer and ofcourse the Colonel is feeling very good in consequence. In fact hefelt so good last week that he told his neighbors his house was attheir command if they wished to have a dance and that he hadplenty for them to eat and drink as long as the dance lasted. Suchopportunities are not offered the fun loving people of old SanPatricio every day in the year, so on last Friday evening theneighbors from far and near began to arrive at the Rachal Mansion.Falvella's Italian band went over from Corpus Christi and after abig supper had been partaken of, the band struck up a lively air andcommenced in earnest. Old people and young joined in the danceand as the hour advanced, ―the mirth and fun grew fast andfurious.""One O'Clock, 2 O'Clock, 3 O'Clock arrived, and yet there was nocessation of the fun, and at last when day arrived and the greatround sun came rolling up in the far away east, it found themdancing still and "balancing‖ all around. At 8 O'Clock a shortrecess was taken for breakfast, after which the music was renewed,the prompter sang out "S'lute Your Partner", and at it they went30 | 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
D.C. in the Civil Waragain. They danced till dinner time, when a halt was called and inan hour spent in consuming a royal old fashioned country dinner.It was then thought that the dance was at an end, but not so withthe dancers. They came there to dance and they proposed to dancetill they got enough if it took all summer. The musicians were toldto start up but they had played til they could play no more.Eighteen hours on a stretch was all that they could stand and it wasimpossible for them to longer hold their eyes open. Col. Rachalwas equal to the emergency, however, and another band had beensent for. It arrived in due time and the dancing was resumed withrenewed furry.There seemed to be no let up to the dancers and it was dancingthey were after. At last night again arrived but still the dance wenton. Another such dance had never before been held in old SanPatricio County, and never will be again. Through all of Saturdaynight the dance went on and when Sunday morning came in brightand fair, they were still "balancin‘ all" and ―salutin‘ their partners".Nor did the dance come to a final conclusion until 12 O'ClockSunday and even then some of them were loath to give in. It wasthe out-dancingest dance ever held in Southwest Texas and thosewho participated in it will remember it to their dying day.(Note: spellings are as found in original document)In August 1861, at the age of 20, D.C. enlisted in the Confederate Army and went to serve in thefifth regiment of Hood‘s Texas Brigade, known formally as the Fifth Texas Volunteer Regiment,and later informally as the ―bloody fifth.‖ He was a part of Company F also known as ―CompanyInvincible‖."There never were such men in an army before. They will go anywhere anddo anything if properly led."( General Robert E. Lee in a letter to General John Bell Hood, May 21, 1863)In August he was detailed to the Ambulance Corps and promoted to Corporal in February 1863.During his time in the service, he participated in a number of skirmishes:Eltham Landing (May 7, 1862)Seven Pines (May 31-June 1, 1862)Seven Days Battles (June 25-July 1, 1862)Gaines Mill (June 27, 1862), 1862)2nd Bull Run (August 28-30, 1862Malvern Hill (July 1, 1862)Freeman's Ford (August 21)31 | 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
Page 1: A History of theRachal FamilyofWhit
Page 4 and 5: Note on women‘s names: it was com
Page 6 and 7: 1719Pierre met and married Marie An
Page 8 and 9: Louis Rachal dit Blondin continued
Page 10 and 11: Isle of D‘OleronThe Isle D‘ Ole
Page 12 and 13: From http://www.caneriverheritage.o
Page 14 and 15: More on Marie Anais Palmire Compèr
Page 16 and 17: Note: names listed in these tables
Page 18 and 19: The Descendents of Louis Ciriaque R
Page 20 and 21: Notes:Lula was born of French paren
Page 22 and 23: (Note: another account says that, f
Page 24 and 25: Note: Julia Rachal‘s obit gives h
Page 26 and 27: 1900 NotesName Age Born At NotesDar
Page 28 and 29: The following tables show the Chris
Page 30 and 31: By 1870, Julia‘s father Christoph
Page 34 and 35: South Mountain (September 14, 1862)
Page 36 and 37: When we arrived at White Point at t
Page 38 and 39: Frank S. Rachal and Anna C. Webster
Page 40 and 41: Christopher Pryor Rachal and Elizab
Page 42 and 43: William Berwick Rachal and Lula Sha
Page 44 and 45: Six months after his death, per the
Page 46 and 47: D.C.‘s work experiences from 1935
Page 48 and 49: The honorary pall bearers were Judg
Page 50: A NOTE TO READERSPlease contribute

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