During the War of 1812, he overpowered the British at the Battle of New Orleans using an extraordinarily egalitarian force of slaves. He went on to serve as Governor of the recently developed area of Florida. He ran for President in 1824, winning the popular vote but losing the Electoral College. He ran again in 1828 and won and 4 years later won reelection. He was a hero.
https://blog.richmond.edu/heroes/2013/09/18/andrew-jackson-hero-by-popular-opinion