The largest battle of the first 17 months of the war, Second Manassas brought the Confederacy to the height of its power, paving the way for Lee's first raid into the North. Moreover, the battle is a case study in the high command of the Army of Northern Virginia: Lee the controlling mastermind, Jackson the creator of opportunities, and Longstreet in the role of exploiting oppotunity. The batttle also laid bare the foibles that afflicted the Union high command during the firs two years of war - foibles that nearly brought the Union to its knees.