Tactically R.E. Lee in my opinion was the best field commander of the War. It was he that saved Richmond during the 7 days battle in June 1862. It was Lee who engineered the victories of 1862 and early 1863 even when he was outnumbered and at great disadvantage such as at Chancellorsville where Longstreet was not even present. Grant never won a tactical battle against Lee in all of 1864 even without the assistance of Longstreet who was wounded during the battle of the Wilderness. Grant lost twice the number of men killed, wounded and missing in 1864 alone against Lee as Lee had in his whole army. The fact that Lee was even able to keep his Army intact during the assualts of 1864 is amazing let alone winning the Battles and outmarching Grants army to the next point keeping the ANV between Grant and Richmond on all occations. Grant did not prevail against Lee at Petersburg even after numerious attacks until he streached and extended Lee's defences to the breaking point in April 1865.