He was undoubtedly a skilled commander, but his true skill was in reliably keeping the army together through every hardship possible for an 18th century army. It was his ability to embody the virtues he sought to instill in his men and to turn even the most bookish concerns into a stage for which to perform his role as commander in chief.
This kind of leadership was echoed and regurgitated throughout the period by men of similar charms, and attempted by men without the kind of blunt charisma that Washington had possessed. Washington was the kind of guy that, even when he underwent severe personal criticism, was able to shut it down and focus on the task at hand.
So yes, he was a terrific general. He proved it at every moment of crisis suffered by the continental army during the war, and at every challenge to his authority.
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