Robert Andrew “Clay” Allison was once asked what he did for a living and he replied, “I am a shootist.” It is simply not possible to verify the multiple accounts of his numerous outrageous activities with “news” being what it was at the time and a century intervening. Though many of the tales were highly exaggerated, if even half of them were true, people were right to be afraid of him.
Born with a clubfoot, Robert Clay Allison, known as “Clay”, was born September 2, 1840, in Waynesboro, Tennessee to Jeremiah and Mariah Brown Allison. His father, a Presbyterian minister, also worked in the cattle and sheep business and died when Clay was only five. Clay was said to have been restless from birth and as he grew into manhood, he became feared for his wild mood swings and easy anger.
Clay worked on the family farm until the age of 21 when the Civil War broke out and he immediately signed up to fight for the Confederacy, enlisting in the Tennessee Light Artillery division on October 15, 1861.
MORE
And here's an interesting article from Jeffery in Alabama explaining what caused his 'unique' personality:
The Life and Times of the Brain-Damaged Gunslinger Clay Allison
Interesting. He turns up in one of Peter Grants 'Aimes' books, the second one, I believe.
ReplyDelete"The .45-caliber Model 1873 Colt Peacemaker was a remarkably efficient close-combat tool."
ReplyDeleteUnderstatement of the 19th Century.
I first heard of Clay Allison when I was a kid. Always liked the crazy fucker. Seemed like a good example of a true Tennessean.
ReplyDeleteThat may say a bit about my mind, both then and now. Of course, he got drunk & fell off his own wagon ,then was run over by it. That fits, too.
--Tennessee Budd