According to Mr. Longstreet, whom admired Lee a great deal, Lee though brilliant was too expensive for the south. The south could not afford the costly victories which Lee achieved.
I agree, Vicksburg was by far a greater loss to the south.
I am fascinated by the notion of great men in service to a bad cause. Lee is the supreme example. Zhukov is another, Rommel. Napoleon perhaps.
IN the aftermath one of the saddest realizations is there will never be a great biography of Lee. Once the process of military sainthood occurs the reputation of the saint is so jealously guarded by the faithful any hope of an honest and revealing biography becomes impossible. Lee became the marble man well over a century ago.