A serious study of such leadership really requires three categories. Try as *Marshals,* those who led entire armies on multiple fronts, then your *Field Generals* leading multi-Corps and multi-divisional Armies, and finally simply *Generals* operating Divisions or Brigades- usually.
My nominees would be: Patton and Lee as Field Generals and Marshall and Ike as Organizational Generals
*Marshals*: George C. Marshall , Halder, Zhukov, F.M. Alexander Suvarov ,von Moltke, Alexander III, king of Macedon, Frederick II of Prussia
*Field Generals*: Patton, Lee, Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur , George Washington, Napoleon Bonaparte, Gen. Sir Bernard Law Montgomery
*Generals, Brigade and Divisional*: Nathan Bedford Forrest, Patrick Cleburne, Stonewall Jackson, Scipio Africanus, George Henry Thomas, Zhuge Liang, MGen John E. Sloan, Gotthard Heinrici, LtGen. John [Iron Mike] O’Daniel
I would also scratch Sherman. The actions of his troops on the March to the Sea should have resulted in his Court Martial.
Sherman's bungled relief of Burnside at Knoxville takes him out of the running in any event. Ever wonder why there's no major stateside U.S. military base named Ft. Sherman? [Though there's one in Panama...]
Remember Napolean's dictum that a good commander may be forgiven being defeated should superior numbers or resources be thrown at him, but cannot ever suffer being surprised....
And too, it's a mark of a good leader if he sets an example for his troops by surviving the wars in which he's fought.
Why confine Jackson to Brigade or Division? I think he should be included in the list of Patton and Lee. In my opinion, the Valley Campaign alone solidly puts him there.