[wbarmy]

Through all his many trials, he remained selfless almost to a fault

Does that "selfless" thing include all the times he blamed his subordinates for the failures at Gettysburg? Lee himself would submit three different reports explaining the critical decisions he made this day and the two days immediately before it. In them he would imply that his principal lieutenants had come up short, and would even wonder if he had asked his men to do too much.

http://www.historynet.com/robert-e-lee

From not giving good orders to Ewell, letting Stuart charge all around like a bull in a china shop, and then laying the failures in the finale to God.“As soon as I order them into battle, I leave my army in the hands of God.”

I know you will bring up his acceptance of responsibility to Jefferson but read the words carefully; “No blame can be attached to the army for its failure to accomplish what was projected by me. … I am alone to blame, in perhaps expecting too much of its prowess & valor.”

He is blaming the men for not being good enough to follow his plans and that he should have recognized their inability.

[central_va]

FYI: That letter was written by Dwight D Eisenhower.

[kiryandil]

He is blaming the men for not being good enough to follow his plans and that he should have recognized their inability.

There are other interpretations of the statement "… I am alone to blame, in perhaps expecting too much of its prowess & valor.”

This is mid-19th century American English, and it doesn't necessarily translate into 21st century American English. Lee could have been talking about the past peerless performances of his men, wherein they beat the Federals in the Army of the Potomac like rented mules.