---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our movement was a great success; I think…"
description: "\"Our movement was a great success; I think the most successful military movement of my life. But I expect to receive more credit for it than I deserve. ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f2/stonewall-jackson-12056_advantage_our-movement-was-a-great-success-i-think_1679477.jpg"
---

#  Our movement was a great success; I think the most…

![“Our movement was a great success; I think the most successful military movement of my life. But I expect to receive more credit for it than I deserve. Most men will think I planned it all from the first; but it was not so. I simply took advantage of circumstances as they were presented to me in…” quote by Stonewall Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f2/stonewall-jackson-12056_advantage_our-movement-was-a-great-success-i-think_1679477.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f2/stonewall-jackson-12056_advantage_our-movement-was-a-great-success-i-think_1679477.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f2/stonewall-jackson-12056_advantage_our-movement-was-a-great-success-i-think_1679477.jpg)

> “Our movement was a great success; I think the most successful military movement of my life. But I expect to receive more credit for it than I deserve. Most men will think I planned it all from the first; but it was not so. I simply took advantage of circumstances as they were presented to me in the providence of God. I feel that His hand led me - let us give Him the glory.”

[Stonewall Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stonewall-jackson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He attributes his military success to divine guidance and seizing opportunities, not personal planning.

**In simple terms:** Success came from God’s help and taking advantage of events.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and credit higher forces in achievements.

Themes

humility faith leadership strategy

Mood

reflective grateful

Type

historical inspirational

When to use this quote

- battlefield decisions
- career reflections
- personal gratitude

Key Concepts

Providence opportunity divine providence

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance personal effort with belief in destiny?
- Do you credit success to external forces?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advantage/) [Civil war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-war/) [Credit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credit/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory/) [Great success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-success/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Providence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/providence/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/)

## Related quotes

> [History is not an endless succession of meaningless circles but a directed movement toward a great event.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/history-is-not-an-endless-succession-of-meaningless-circles-but-a/)

[Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/)

> [We are organizers at heart. Most of us in the movement take great pride in being able to put things together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/we-are-organizers-at-heart-most-of-us-in-the-movement-take-great/)

[Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/)

> [The labor movement has a great role to play in our country today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/the-labor-movement-has-a-great-role-to-play-in-our-country-today/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [We should teach kids, whether you're on the varsity team or not, that movement is a great thing in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-foudy/we-should-teach-kids-whether-you-re-on-the-varsity-team-or-not-that/)

[Julie Foudy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-foudy/)

> [In the years leading up to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, thinking about defense was driven by ideas that regarded successful military operations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-r-mcmaster/in-the-years-leading-up-to-the-wars-in-afghanistan-and-iraq-thinking/)

[H. R. McMaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-r-mcmaster/)

> [Let not a man glory in this, that he loves his country; let him rather glory in this, that he loves his kind...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baha-u-llah/let-not-a-man-glory-in-this-that-he-loves-his-country-let-him-rather/)

[Bahá'u'lláh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baha-u-llah/)

> [I do believe, as my father once said, that "No matter how hard the loss, defeat might serve as well as victory to shake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/i-do-believe-as-my-father-once-said-that-no-matter-how-hard-the-loss/)

[Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/)

> [Short, successful military adventures are as effective as the Super Bowl in diverting people's attention from unpleasant truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stockwell/short-successful-military-adventures-are-as-effective-as-the-super/)

John Stockwell

> [Defeat may serve as well as victory to shake the soul and let the glory out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-markham/defeat-may-serve-as-well-as-victory-to-shake-the-soul-and-let-the/)

[Edwin Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-markham/)

> [“Some of the most highly trained and successful military forces – Nelson’s fleet, Montgomery’s 8th Army, Wingate’s Chindits – were worked up to excellence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-andrew-hugh-gordon/some-of-the-most-highly-trained-and-successful-military-forces-nelson/)

[Gilbert Andrew Hugh Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-andrew-hugh-gordon/)

> [“God, be exalted above the heavens; let Your glory be above the whole earth. Psalm 57:5”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/god-be-exalted-above-the-heavens-let-your-glory-be-above-the-whole/)

[Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/)

> [Thus, though I have heard of successful military operations that were clumsy but swift, cleverness has never been seen associated with long delays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/thus-though-i-have-heard-of-successful-military-operations-that-were/)

[Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/)

> [The military operation in Lebanon was the most successful military operation in recent Israeli history. Many in Israel don't recognise that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ehud-olmert/the-military-operation-in-lebanon-was-the-most-successful-military/)

[Ehud Olmert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ehud-olmert/)

> [“It is time for us to fight, and we do so not because we seek the glory of men, but because the other options…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/it-is-time-for-us-to-fight-and-we-do-so-not-because-we-seek-the-glory/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [The movement of life has to rest in its own music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/the-movement-of-life-has-to-rest-in-its-own-music/)

[Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/)

## More by Stonewall Jackson

> [Don't say it's impossible! Turn your command over to the next officer. If he can't do it, I'll find someone who can, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stonewall-jackson/don-t-say-it-s-impossible-turn-your-command-over-to-the-next-officer/)

[Stonewall Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stonewall-jackson/)

> [Always mystify, mislead, and surprise the enemy, if possible; and when you strike and overcome him, never let up in the pursuit so long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stonewall-jackson/always-mystify-mislead-and-surprise-the-enemy-if-possible-and-when/)

[Stonewall Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stonewall-jackson/)

> [Press on, press on, men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stonewall-jackson/press-on-press-on-men/)

[Stonewall Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stonewall-jackson/)

> [“You may be whatever you resolve to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stonewall-jackson/you-may-be-whatever-you-resolve-to-be/)

[Stonewall Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stonewall-jackson/)

> [My religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stonewall-jackson/my-religious-belief-teaches-me-to-feel-as-safe-in-battle-as-in-bed/)

[Stonewall Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stonewall-jackson/)

> [Always mystify, mislead and surprise the enemy if possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stonewall-jackson/always-mystify-mislead-and-surprise-the-enemy-if-possible/)

[Stonewall Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stonewall-jackson/)

> [Under divine blessing, we must rely on the bayonet when firearms cannot be furnished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stonewall-jackson/under-divine-blessing-we-must-rely-on-the-bayonet-when-firearms/)

[Stonewall Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stonewall-jackson/)

> [I want my army to be an army of the living God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stonewall-jackson/i-want-my-army-to-be-an-army-of-the-living-god/)

[Stonewall Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stonewall-jackson/)

> [“My religious beliefs teach me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time of my death. I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stonewall-jackson/my-religious-beliefs-teach-me-to-feel-as-safe-in-battle-as-in-bed-god/)

[Stonewall Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stonewall-jackson/)

> [Shoot the brave officers, and the cowards will run away and take the men with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stonewall-jackson/shoot-the-brave-officers-and-the-cowards-will-run-away-and-take-the/)

[Stonewall Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stonewall-jackson/)

> [Died of wounds inflicted in error by his own troops at the battle of Chancellorsville during the US Civil War. Let us cross over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stonewall-jackson/died-of-wounds-inflicted-in-error-by-his-own-troops-at-the-battle-of/)

[Stonewall Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stonewall-jackson/)

> [War means fighting. The business of the soldier is to fight. ... To move swiftly, strike vigorously, and secure all the fruits of victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stonewall-jackson/war-means-fighting-the-business-of-the-soldier-is-to-fight-to-move/)

[Stonewall Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stonewall-jackson/)

> [Duty is ours; the consequences are the Lord God's](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stonewall-jackson/duty-is-ours-the-consequences-are-the-lord-god-s/)

[Stonewall Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stonewall-jackson/)

> [We are all but instruments of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stonewall-jackson/we-are-all-but-instruments-of-god/)

[Stonewall Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stonewall-jackson/)

> [“War means fighting. The business of the soldier is to fight. Armies are not called out to dig trenches, to throw up breastworks, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stonewall-jackson/war-means-fighting-the-business-of-the-soldier-is-to-fight-armies-are/)

[Stonewall Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stonewall-jackson/)

[Explore all 56 Stonewall Jackson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stonewall-jackson/)

## More Advantage quotes

> [Dogmatists have one advantage: they are poor listeners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/dogmatists-have-one-advantage-they-are-poor-listeners/)

[Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/)

> [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/)

[Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/)

> [All I ever wanted was an unfair advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-wynn/all-i-ever-wanted-was-an-unfair-advantage/)

[Garrison Wynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-wynn/)

> [Part of the advantage, and part of the result of trying to be a producer and director, are the practical things, you find. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/part-of-the-advantage-and-part-of-the-result-of-trying-to-be-a/)

[Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/)

> [I was born with a silver microphone in my mouth, and that was an advantage. My father wrote books and was also a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dimbleby/i-was-born-with-a-silver-microphone-in-my-mouth-and-that-was-an/)

[Jonathan Dimbleby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dimbleby/)

> [Like funny men, skilled diners are apparently perceived to have an evolutionary advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/like-funny-men-skilled-diners-are-apparently-perceived-to-have-an/)

[Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/)

> [For some reason when I decide to pursue something, I never have any fear that it won't happen. I think it's just ingrained in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-blatz/for-some-reason-when-i-decide-to-pursue-something-i-never-have-any/)

[Kelly Blatz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-blatz/)

> [I think I have good hands, so I try to use them to my advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-andreescu/i-think-i-have-good-hands-so-i-try-to-use-them-to-my-advantage/)

[Bianca Andreescu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-andreescu/)

> [My influences are jazz, blues, European classical music; they are rock music and pop music. So many kinds of music. World music from different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/my-influences-are-jazz-blues-european-classical-music-they-are-rock/)

[Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/)

> [Baseball needs to put the steroids era behind it by having and enforcing tough rules against all kinds of artificial advantages, so that spring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/baseball-needs-to-put-the-steroids-era-behind-it-by-having-and/)

[Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/)

> [Daily contact with some teachers is itself all-sided ethical education for the child without a spoken precept. Here, too, the real advantage of male…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-stanley-hall/daily-contact-with-some-teachers-is-itself-all-sided-ethical/)

[G. Stanley Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-stanley-hall/)

> [ If \[Donald\] Trump throws 20 million off of health care, that's going to be - if he handles this badly - and it's very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/if-donald-trump-throws-20-million-off-of-health-care-that-s-going-to/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [Live in the world you inhabit. Look upon things as they are. Take them as you find them. Make the best of them. Turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/live-in-the-world-you-inhabit-look-upon-things-as-they-are-take-them/)

[Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/)

> [I always tell women that the fact that you're different and that you're noticed, because there are few of us in the tech industry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padmasree-warrior/i-always-tell-women-that-the-fact-that-you-re-different-and-that-you/)

[Padmasree Warrior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padmasree-warrior/)

[Browse all 3,503 Advantage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advantage/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Our movement was a great success; I think the most successful military movement of my life. But I expect to receive more credit for it than I deserve. Most men will think I planned it all from the first; but it was not so. I simply took advantage of circumstances as they were presented to me in the providence of God. I feel that His hand led me - let us give Him the glory.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Stonewall Jackson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stonewall-jackson/our-movement-was-a-great-success-i-think-the-most-successful-military/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Advantage"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stonewall-jackson/our-movement-was-a-great-success-i-think-the-most-successful-military/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f2/stonewall-jackson-12056_advantage_our-movement-was-a-great-success-i-think_1679477.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f2/stonewall-jackson-12056_advantage_our-movement-was-a-great-success-i-think_1679477.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f2/stonewall-jackson-12056_advantage_our-movement-was-a-great-success-i-think_1679477.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Our movement was a great success; I think the most successful military movement of my life. But I expect to…” — Stonewall Jackson",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Stonewall Jackson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stonewall-jackson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Our movement was a great success;...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stonewall-jackson/our-movement-was-a-great-success-i-think-the-most-successful-military/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stonewall-jackson/our-movement-was-a-great-success-i-think-the-most-successful-military/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
