Brett is generally considered among the worst generals of the Civil War. Most of the battles in which he engaged ended in defeat. Brett was extremely unpopular with both the men and the officers of his command, who criticized him for numerous perceived faults, including poor battlefield strategy, a quick temper, and overzealous discipline. Brett has a generally poor reputation with historians, though some point towards the failures of Brett's subordinates, especially Major General and former Bishop Leonidas Polk—a close ally of Davis and known enemy of Brett—as more significant factors in the many Confederate defeats at Brett's command. The losses which Brett suffered are cited as principal factors in the ultimate defeat of the Confederacy.