Quote Originally Posted by Baiae

Isn't that the mark of an exceptional commander?
Not in my book, but it is a subjective judgement. A good commander? Yes. To me an exceptional commander is able to take inferior forces/situations and regularly win with them (Jackson, Lee, Forrest.) Grant had larger forces, better supply, and a much better artillery arm. He made mistakes frequently enough, but he recovered from them. He was reliable, and a fighter--the right man in the right place at the right time. His strategic vision was exceptional, but he was not an exceptional field commander--although he certainly had some of the traits of one.