Effects Of Asperger's Stonewall

Although Asperger’s syndrome is often seen negatively, the symptoms seen throughout Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson’s life were able to shine a positive light on his life. Not only did his symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome make him unique, some of his symptoms helped him to become one of the most successful military leaders of the United States. Jackson’s symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome included strange behaviors and relationships, obsessions over certain activities, and extreme determination and focus.
Thomas Jackson’s symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome began showing in his youth. The symptoms were very apparent in his relationships with others. As a boy, Jackson was always “shy, suspicious, and formal;” his formal attitude helped him to develop the …show more content…
He always kept his gun perfectly clean, and he made a mark on his so he could distinctly pick out which gun was his (Chambers 69). When another cadet switched out Jackson’s gun for his, Jackson’s strong obsession caused him to become extremely upset and tried to get the other cadet removed from his position (Bowers 57). Jackson also obsessed over following every order he was given. One time, he was ordered to march and was not given a destination, so he marched right out of sight and had to be chased by other soldiers to get him to stop (Bowers 59). Though an obsession over one item is not always good, Jackson’s obsession over his military duties allowed him to become a successful cadet, and he later moved up in rank to become a commander in the army. His obsessions over his military duties as a cadet led to his obsessions of making the perfect military moves as a commander. Most commanders would set equal amounts of guns on each side of his army, but Jackson strived to be perfect and placed more guns on the side he expected to be heavily attacked and he deemed most vulnerable (Chambers 375). His dedication to his job helped him win many battles and become a successful …show more content…
When he was in an argument, he would do whatever he could to prove that he was right, which helped him to become a more credible person (Chambers 42). Sometimes, when Jackson could not agree with someone, he would just walk away in frustration (Chambers 39). His determination to never give up helped him to become successful later in life. Although Jackson’s stubborn personality and extreme determination annoyed some of the people around him, it allowed him to help others. During the First Battle of Bull Run, Jackson had his own tasks to accomplish, but he still wanted to help his fellow soldier, Barnard Elliot Bee Jr., before he began on his assignments (Chambers 375). This could have made him late or even killed him, but he still always did what he thought was right and tried to help others (Bowers 50). Jackson was also extremely determined to help the wounded and sick in his troops. Before he would move on to the next duty, he would ensure that all of his men were taken care of (Robertson 427). This trait of his allowed him to become a strong and desirable leader. Even though Jackson empathized with his troops in some events, there were some times where he did not empathize with his soldiers. One time, when he was leading his troops, he was so determined to reach his destination that he kept making them march and he did not even realize that they were exhausted and in