The Warrior

"The LORD is a warrior; The LORD is His name." Exodus 15:3

While reading about Stonewall Jackson, I came across a few lines that made me think of this verse. Not to compare Gen. Jackson to the Lord, but I think the descriptions of his victories helps illustrate this scripture. Moses said this about God after He had brought the people out of Egypt and delivered them from the hand of Pharaoh. The mere name of the Lord would invoke fear from all around after hearing what He had done for the Israelites. After the Valley Campaign in 1862 R.L. Dabney says this about Gen. Jackson.:

"But enough was accomplished to cover General Jackson with a blaze of glory. Fifteen days before, he was a hundred miles from his base, with a little army of fifteen thousand men, while forty thousand enemies were on his immediate front and flanks. Now, he was disembarrassed of them all, with a loss of not more than one thousand five hundred men; while two armies, whose aggregate was double his own, were flying from him, quivering with disaster, leaving his victorious hands full of trophies. From this hour, doubt and detraction were silenced; he stood forth acknowledged by all as a General of transcendent abilities. His mere name, henceforth, brought assurance of triumph to his friends, and panic to his enemies. Within forty days he had marched four hundred miles, fought four pitched battles, - defeating four separate armies,- with numerous combats and skirmishes, sent to the rear three thousand five hundred prisoners, killed and wounded a still larger number of the enemy, and defeated or neutralized forces three times as numerous as his own, upon his proper theatre of war, besides the corps of McDowell, which was rendered inactive at Fredericksburg by the fear of his prowess."

Again, after a brilliant plan and march conceived by General Lee and Jackson, General Jackson marched his force to Richmond to help defeat Gen. McClellan's army. Dabney again says:

"But the arrival of General Jackson brought a strength to the Confederates beyond that of his numbers. His fame as a warrior had just risen to the zenith; while all the other armies of the Confederacy had been retreating before the enemy, or at best holding the defensive with difficulty, his alone had marched, and attacked, and conquered. A disaster had never alighted on his banners. His assault was regarded by friends and foes as the stroke of doom, and his presence gave assurance of victory. Hence, when the army before Richmond learned that he was with them, they were filled with unbounded joy and confidence, while their enemies were struck with a corresponding panic."

Yet, with these victories and the fame that it brought him, here his true Christian character showed brightly. Later in the war he had a conversation with another officer on a rainy night which Dabney describes here:

" The conversation was soon insensibly turned on the things of Redemption. His friend related how Dr. S.,- the eminent minister mentioned in the last letter,-had been understood by him to declare, that the fear of wrath did not enter at all as an element of that godly sorrow of sin, which marks true repentance; but that it was prompted solely by love and gratitude. The General answered, that the doctrine intended by Dr. S. had probably been misapprehended by him. For his part, he supposed that, in the new-born believer, both fear and love actuated his repentance. But as his assurance became more clear of the Redeemer's mercy to his soul, his obedience became less servile, and more affectionate; until, in the most favored saints, perfect love cast out fear. He then declared that he had been, himself, for a long time, a stranger to fear of wrath; because he knew and was assured of the love of Christ to his soul; that he felt not the faintest dread that he should ever fall under the wrath of God, although a great sinner; because he knew that it was forever reconciled by the righteousness of Christ, and that love for God and Christ was now the practical spring of all his penitence. Speaking thus, Jackson arose from his seat, and, with an impressive union of humility and solemn elation, continued in substance thus: "Nothing earthly can mar my happiness. I know that heaven is in store for me; and I should rejoice in the prospect of going there to-morrow. Understand me: I am not sick; I am not sad; God has greatly blessed me; and I have as much to love here as any man, and life is very bright to me. But, still, I am ready to leave it any day, without trepidation or regret, for that heaven which I know awaits me, through the mercy of my Heavenly Father. And I would not agree to the slightest diminution of one shade of my glory there" [Here he paused, as though to consider what terrestrial measure he might best select to express the largeness of his joys] - "No: not for all the fame which I have acquired, or shall ever win in this world." With these words he sunk into his chair, and his friend retired- awe-struck, as though he had seen the face of an angel. But he did not fail to notice the revelation made of Jackson's master-passion by nature, in the object he had chosen to express the value of his heavenly inheritance. It was fame! Not wealth, nor domestic joys, nor literature- but well-earned fame. Let the young aspirant consider also, how even this passion, which the world calls the most honorable of all, was chastened and crucified in him by a nobler longing."

All quotes are from Life and Campaigns of Lt. General T.J. (Stonewall) Jackson by R.L. Dabney.