Clyde Shelton

The only existing photograph of Clyde Shelton, features him in Confederate Uniform. Photograph taken by Stanley LaPedite in 1891, shortly before his death.

## Information

### Roleplays

RedemptionWild West Roleplay

Civil War Roleplay

### Relatives

Israel Shelton FatherGaspard LaPedite Uncle

Maximilien LaPedite Cousin

### Affiliation

The Confederate States of AmericaThe Louisiana Raiders

### Occupation

Cavalry Officer (1861 - 1865)Banker (1867 - 1868)

Courier (1868 - 1872)

Cotton King (1873 - 1892)

## Plantation

Photograph of LaPedite manor in the outskirts of Saint-Denis. Photograph taken in 1900 by an unknown photographer.

## Quincy Harris' Revolver

An ornate and ceremonial revolver that was gifted to Clyde Shelton personally from General Quincy Harris at the 30 year anniversary of the Civil War. The pistol features an ivory hilt and gold leaf trim.

## Early Life

Clyde Withrow Shelton was born in San Antonio, Texas in 1837 to an unknown, lower-class family. After his father was killed in a Comanche attack while he was herding cattle in 1850 and his mother died to an influenza epidemic a year later, he was sent to live with his wealthy aunt and uncle, who owned a plantation in Louisiana. While there he learned the business of cotton & tobacco farming, which differed greatly the cattle ranching that he grew up with. While in Louisiana he was also exposed to the concept of slavery, which had not yet been introduced to him. In 1860 at the age of 23 he was put in charge of overseeing the family's primary cotton plantation, Shady Belle.

## Military Service

> "*Of all the vermin and weasels on earth I could've been posted under I got the worst of them all, Quincy Harris. And then they had the audacity to call him a "hero" on his grave, some fucking joke.*"
> ― Clyde talking about his early service.
>
>

Shortly after becoming the overseer of Shady Belle in 1860 he enlisted in the Confederate States Cavalry when the civil war began in 1861. Due to his wealth and volunteer status he was able to join the 10th Louisiana Cavalry Regiment serving under General Quincy Harris. He served as an officer adjutant during the Battle of Fort Brennand and eventually took over command of his cavalry regiment after his captain Jedediah Tucker was shot and killed in battle. He ended up leading his regiment in the Battle of Scarlett Meadows and was responsible for causing a union retreat, which allowed the Confederate army to pursue them and win the battle. For this, he was praised by General Harris and other confederate commanders. After the war ended and Shady Belle was burned, Clyde returned to Saint Denis to live in the family's mansion. He began drinking heavily, and in 1866 he appeared in Saint-Denis bar records and a newspaper tabloid that reported on his frequent public intoxication.

## Post-War Life

In 1867 he inherited Shady Belle from his uncle, who split his land between Clyde and Maximilien after his death. Maximilien inherited the family's large manor in St. Denis. Due to the sorry state of the land and the condition the house was still in, he promptly sold it to The LeClercs, a wealthy family that had long been friendly rivals of The LaPedites. Clyde moved to New Orleans in 1869, attempting to make a living as a banker, but ultimately failed due to his inability to calculate large denominations of numbers. He also attempted to work as a post officer, using his cavalry experience to run letters between cities with extreme speed, but lost his job after being blamed for a stagecoach robbery, which he was later cleared of but refused to retake his post. He considered trying his hand at another job, but was soon summoned by his brother to come back to Saint-Denis. Upon arriving, he found that the LeClercs had refurbished and remodeled their mansion and gifted it back to the LaPedites in 1873 as a gesture of goodwill. Ownership was given to the head of the LaPedite family, Maximilien, but the task of overseeing the land fell to Clyde.

## Later Life and Health Decline

Though Clyde failed to marry, his brother had 2 sons, and Clyde took a large interest in the youngest, Stanley. As Clyde got older, and his alcoholism continued, he began developing issues with his liver, which almost completely immobilized him due to the weakness and organ pain that was brought about. Stanley began to take care of him, with Stanley caring for Clyde for the last 2 years of his life and providing him with crutches to allow him to still move around. Clyde would go on to die in 1892 of organ failure when Stanley was only 18. He was buried on the Shady Belle Plantation near an old peach tree that he helped to plant during his original tenure of the mansion before the Civil War.

## Alcoholism and Mental State

Though Clyde was never diagnosed with any mental illness he is thought to have developed PTSD and perhaps schizophrenia during his serving in the Confederate army, as the writings in his journal present numerous symptoms of mental decay. A name that continues to appear in his journals that does not correspond to any existing records or familial testimony is Alexander Cortois, who is frequently presented as a travelling doctor or teacher of sorts that helped Clyde to deal with his condition.