Learning brings joy to my heart. There is a great quote from the Civil War, “There stands Jackson like a stone wall. Rally around him.” The story is, during the First Battle of Bull Run, Confederate General Thomas J. Jackson got the nickname “Stonewall.” Stonewall Jackson stood as a banner on that day for the troops to rally around and Bull Run became a Confederate victory.
Let joy be the banner that your heart rallies around.
Regimental Flags
During the American Civil War, soldiers placed great importance on the flags of their regiments, and men would sacrifice their lives defending a regimental flag. Civil War armies, both Union and Confederate, tended to be organized as regiments from particular states or regions.
There was a very practical purpose for regimental flags. They were critical in battles as they marked the position of the regiment on the battlefield, which could often be a very confused place. In the noise and smoke of battle, regiments could become scattered. Vocal commands, or even bugle calls, could not be heard. Armies at the time had no radios or cell phones, so a visual rallying point was critical, and soldiers were trained to follow the flag.
A popular song of the Civil War, “The Battle Cry of Freedom,” made mention of how “we’ll rally ’round the flag, boys.” While it was a patriotic song, it also illustrates the practical use of flags as rallying points on the battlefield.
Because the regimental flags had strategic importance in battle, designated teams of soldiers, known as color guards, carried them. Being a member of the color guard was a mark of distinction and required extraordinary bravery. The job was to carry the flag where the regimental officers directed, while unarmed and under fire. Color bearers had to face the enemy and never break and run in retreat, or the entire regiment might follow. Sadly, the enemy artillery often targeted these banners, meaning a high mortality rate for the color guard.
The Lord My Banner
This reminds me of a title given to God: “Jehovah-nissi.” This name is the joining of two words. “Jehovah” is an English word meaning “The Lord.” “Nissi” is a Hebrew word which translate as “banner.” Put Jehovah-nissi together and we get a powerful statement, “The Lord my banner.” Another popular translation is “the Lord my refuge.” Both give us a strong understanding of an important characteristic of the God in whom we put our trust, a God who is our banner, our refuge.
I love a song that I learned as a young person. “Joy is the flag flown high over the castle of my heart, for the King is in residence there. Let it fly in the sky. Let the whole world know that the king is in residence there.”
Today, put your trust in Jehovah-nissi. Maybe history isn’t you thing. Even so, let let your heart rally under the banner of joy.
“And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi.”
Exodus 17:15
Copyright © 2023 Chuck Locklear
Also, see History 101.