- Lee was a brilliant tactician and strategist. He quickly reorganized the army and instilled discipline and confidence in his troops. He also made effective use of the terrain and his artillery.
- Lee won a series of victories in 1862: at Second Manassas, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville. These victories boosted the morale of the Southern troops and gave them hope that they could win the war.
- Lee's victories also put pressure on the North. Lincoln and his generals were frustrated by their inability to defeat Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia. This led to divisions within the Republican Party and calls for an end to the war.
However, the tide turned against the South in 1863.
- Lee was defeated at the Battle of Gettysburg , one of the bloodiest battles in American history. This battle was a turning point in the war, and it gave the North the momentum it needed to win.
- Grant was appointed commander of all Union armies, and he began to press Lee's army at every opportunity. Lee's army was outnumbered and outgunned, and he was finally forced to surrender at Appomattox Court House in 1865.