George Washington won a war that nearly everyone thought was impossible.
He defeated the greatest power in the world and saw off internal treachery using only his own courage and stragetic nous
Washington realized he couldn't put together a duplicate of the British Army (much of which consisted of Hessian mercs, in the first place) and beat them at their own game. He realized he just had to keep them on guard duty and stay out of their reach until he had some advantage that his adversaries didn't recognize. And nowadays and from now on (since the 1970s), no US general will ever outrank The General. :^)
Washington also was very adroit in the intelligence game.
We probably haven’t had anybody since that would be “hands on” in initiating it, managing it and master consumer of its product.
In defeating the Hessians, George Washington received Frederick the Great's sword in acknowledgement.