Robert E. Lee's reputation should be assessed against the commanders he actually faced. In this interpretation, Lee repeatedly met very poor Union generals during phases when the Union was less ably served at senior level than the Confederacy. That does not establish that Lee lacked skill; it changes the baseline against which his victories are measured. Battlefield records reflect opponent quality as well as a commander's own decisions.
Notable Point · 2:36:49-2:37:21
Opponent quality and Robert E. Lee's reputation
Lee's battlefield reputation needs to be judged against the uneven quality of the Union commanders he repeatedly faced.