Where commanders like Stonewall Jackson thrived on operational freedom of action, Lee’s command approach of broad “mission style” instructions—where subordinates are told what they need to accomplish rather than how to accomplish it—was hugely successful. But with less confident commanders, these general, sometimes vague, orders intended to provide flexibility led to problems. Where both the commander and situation aligned, as with Jackson at Chancellorsville, the result was sublime. On other occasions, as with the failure of Lieutenant General Richard Ewell to capture the decisive terrain of
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