Final answer:
General Lee believed the Confederate Army was defeated due to the Union's overwhelming numbers and resources, not internal failings. He endeavored to maintain his army's honor even as he faced overwhelming odds and resource shortages. Post-war, Lee reflected on the loss of everything except honor, which he insisted must be protected.
Step-by-step explanation:
General Robert E. Lee's attitude towards the justice and outcome of the Civil War reflected a stance of dignity despite defeat. His communications with General Ulysses S. Grant and farewell address to the Army of Northern Virginia revealed Lee's view that the Confederate forces were overwhelmed by superior numbers and resources, not by any lack of valor or internal failings.
This sentiment is encapsulated by Lee's own words following the war, "We lost nearly everything but honor, and that should be religiously guarded." Despite witnessing the severe hardship endured by his troops and the South's waning prospects, Lee maintained that enduring honor was the last vestige of the Confederate cause, even in the wake of overwhelming defeat and the devastation that the war had brought to the region.
During the war, Lee faced the harsh reality of insufficient resources and manpower compared to the Union forces. His army suffered from starvation, disease, and low morale. Grant arguably had numerical superiority, and Lee ultimately knew the Confederate resources could not sustain a prolonged conflict, as illustrated by his strategic withdrawal to Virginia following unfought opportunities and pressing survival needs for his troops.