> The only decent one would be Lee. Lee had a habit of couching orders as if they were suggestions or requests. The South's most effective general may have bee

> The only decent one would be Lee. Lee had a habit of couching orders as if they were suggestions or requests. The South's most effective general may have been Jackson. For the first half of the war, the Union's top general in the east was McClellan, who was useless. [Edit] McClellan didn't fight in the west. And I spelled his name wrong. [Edit 2] Lee overruled Longstreet, who wanted to flank the Union's right. Lee insisted on a frontal assault. That decision led directly to Picket's disastrous charge. I don't understand why some generals are so averse to flanking actions. Is it because they are somehow considered cowardly, or "just not cricket"? Flanking actions are often decisive, and sometimes even the threat of a flanking action can critically disrupt enemy operations.