Lessons from Stonewall Jackson

After reading the life of Thomas ‘Stonewall’ Jackson last year, in the exceptional book by S. C. Gwynne, I’ve been reflecting on Jackson and the lessons that we can learn from his personal life.

(1) Jackson was always ready.

Many of Jackson’s daily habits made more sense on the battlefield than in daily civilian life. He followed a strict regimen of food for his health and was precisely punctual – even standing outside in the rain if he arrived somewhere early, then opening the door to enter at the precise minute when he was scheduled. These oddities caused many of his friends to wonder about him. But when war broke out, Jackson was ready. He had trained himself to be precise, punctual, specific, and logical.

We may not be preparing ourselves for war, but Christians are always in engaged in a spiritual struggle. “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) There are other passages in Scripture that teach a similar lesson. Like Jackson, we should be wary of letting our guard down and growing too comfortable in a dangerous world.

(2) Jackson did his ‘one thing’ well.

There is one thing that Jackson is remembered for, and he did it exceptionally well. He commanded armies. Looking back on his life, Jackson wasn’t a very good school teacher. His record as a subordinate soldier after the Mexican-American War wasn’t great either. Nor did Jackson excel in developing friendships with his civilian counterparts. But none of these were his ‘one thing.’ That one thing – to direct, inspire, and win victories with armies – was Jackson’s calling. And he did it so well that everyone noticed.

(3) Jackson didn’t care what other people thought.

Even though Jackson was despised as a teacher, by many of his students, he ignored their opinion and kept teaching. When others thought that he was a bit awkward and eccentric, that didn’t change his behavior either. Jackson did what he felt was his duty, and he ignored the response. Admittedly, this wasn’t always a positive – it sometimes created unnecessary tension – but it’s certainly a character trait that most people need more of, not less.

(4) Jackson always spoke well of others.

It didn’t matter who they were or what they had done, Jackson refused to utter a single syllable of slander or ill-talk about others, except when it was his duty to report on military faults within a chain of command. People were always amazed by this. Even when people tried to ‘bait’ him, just asking him to agree that such-and-such a person probably had a bit of a weakness in this or that area, Jackson absolutely refused to go along with it. He would counter, almost doggedly, by mentioning some positive character trait of the person under discussion.

(5) Jackson always did his duty.

It didn’t matter what it was or how unpleasant it might be, Jackson was a firm believer in duty. This sometimes placed him in dangerous situations, but he didn’t care. During the Mexican-American War, Jackson manned a canon, by himself, on the middle of a highly-exposed road, facing enemy fire directed at him. While other soldiers cowered, Jackson continued to man the gun, and afterward, his legendary bravery was mentioned by many. For Jackson, it was simple: he was doing his duty. And just as Jackson did his duty, so he expected every man to do their duty, no matter how difficult or unpleasant.

(6) Jackson kept to himself until it was time to bring out his masterpieces.

Jackson was an intensely private man, and he didn’t enjoy the public spotlight. He worked hard, and knew that any success was due to a lot of unseen hard work. So, he would work incredibly hard, in obscurity, only to suddenly bring about an incredible masterpiece: a brilliant tactical move, or a strategic victory, that would stun his opponents. Then he would retreat back into obscurity, working on his next plan, before he emerged again. He wasn’t a man who was doing it for the notoriety. He was doing his duty, doing it incredibly well, and letting the results land where they would.

(7) Jackson was gentle yet firm.

Everyone who knew the ‘real’ Jackson – the Jackson by the fireside, his real character, beyond his eccentricities – was struck by his genuine gentleness and kindness. He cared deeply about his friends, was beloved by children, and showed thoughtful gestures to those around him. It was one of his most powerful characteristics. Yet the tension of Jackson’s life was that he waged war, refusing even to give pardons to his men who had deserted and earned the death sentence. The resolution to this tension was simple: Jackson hated war (he tried to start a national prayer campaign to avoid war, before its outbreak), and he was a genuinely tender individual, but he had a strong sense of duty, and a strong sense that others do their duty. This allowed him to be gentle, while summoning strength to do his violent duty.

(8) Jackson prayed about everything.

Jackson was remarkable for his intense prayer life, which overshadowed all aspects of his day. It was his characteristic pose to raise his right hand in intercession, and he could be seen doing it constantly throughout the day. He once admitted that, “I have so fixed the habit in my own mind that I never raise a glass of water to my lips without a moment’s asking of God’s blessing. I never seal a letter without putting a word of blessing under the seal. I never take a letter from the post without a brief sending of my thoughts heavenward.”

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