For Lee, the ground was not just a stage for battle; it was a participant. While Union generals peered at maps, Lee peered at the land itself.
Lee consistently operated on "interior lines"—positioning his smaller army in a central location, allowing him to shift troops rapidly to meet threats from multiple directions, effectively multiplying his force.
He mastered the art of placing his infantry just behind the crest of a hill (the reverse slope), protecting them from artillery fire until the enemy was within lethal rifle range.