Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson and Richard S. Ewell frequently commented on their conversations with Taylor about military history, strategy and tactics. In particular, Ewell stated that he came away from his conversations with Taylor more knowledgeable, impressed with the amount of information Taylor possessed. It was Stonewall Jackson who recommended promoting Taylor to major general and putting him in command of Confederate forces in western Louisiana. Taylor was one of only three lieutenant generals in the Confederacy who did not graduate from West Point (the others being Forrest and Wade Hampton III).