Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson
Stonewall Jackson had a personality that crawled with quirks. After being educated at the United States Military Academy and serving in the Mexican War the deeply religious Jackson accepted a position as a teacher at the Virginia Military Institute, where he wrote curricula some parts of which remain in use. During the Civil War he developed and executed military tactics which led to stunning victories for the Southern Armies, and his untimely death following the Battle of Chancellorsville was a blow to the South from which its military never recovered.
His students at VMI disliked him, calling him Tom Fool. Jackson had the habit of repeating a portion of his lectures verbatim if an uncomprehending student asked a question, and a second failure to understand brought the student disciplinary action. Jackson believed that his internal organs were subject to misalignment, causing discomfort and illness, and thus remained standing whenever possible, to help them fall back into the proper place. A less than enthusiastic eater of meats, Jackson was fond of all kinds of fruits, especially melons and peaches, which he believed more healthful than heavy meals.
Jackson also believed that his left arm was longer than his right, a condition which contributed to the misalignment of his internal organs. This led him to frequently hold his left arm high over his head for as long as he could, to allow his organs to realign themselves. He also suffered from sinus conditions, which may have been psychosomatic, and he believed that these too were alleviated by remaining erect, with his left hand held high. This caused him to be wounded during the First Battle of Bull Run.
As Jackson’s troops stood their ground on Henry House Hill during that battle, Jackson elevated his left arm with his palm open, facing forward towards the attacking Union troops. Either a bullet or shrapnel struck him in the middle finger of the open hand. Jackson ignored the advice of the physicians who treated his wound and declined to allow them to amputate the injured finger. His nickname Stonewall was acquired following the battle, from Barnard Bee’s description of his troops standing “like a stone wall.”
Over a century after his death, some researchers have suggested that Jackson may have suffered from Asperger Syndrome. A legend around the general has him eating lemons by the dozens, often sucking on a lemon while in battle. This is probably false, lemons were relatively rare and Jackson enjoyed many types of fruits. Jackson’s piety, eccentricities, and disciplinary firmness helped him lead his men, but did not endear him to them.
