Yeah, always thought they should have left capitol in Alabama, stretch strategic depth of the invaders.
All the state’s rights foolishness really hamstrung supplying and maintaining a “national” army.
Your right , Robert E. Lee should have never tried to invade the North, he should have instead surrounded Washington directly, cut off all supply lines in and out of Washington.
He also should have forced the Union Army to go deeper south and cut off supply lines in the rear, then attack the Union Army.