Commodore
Alden remarked, half in jest, to a gentleman who sat near
him, that there was nothing he disliked more than a subordinate
who always obeyed orders. "What is that you are saying, Commodore?"
said President Grant, across the table. The Commodore repeated
what he had said. "There is a good deal of truth in what
you say," said General Grant. "One of the virtues of General
Sheridan was that he knew when to act without orders. Just
before the surrender of Lee, General Sheridan captured some
despatches from which he learned that Lee had ordered his
supplies to a certain place. I was on the other side of the
river, where he could get no communication from me until the
next morning. General Sheridan pushed on at once without
orders, got to the place fifteen minutes before the rebels,
and captured the supplies. After the surrender was concluded,
the first thing General Lee asked me for was rations for his
men. I issued to them the same provisions which Sheridan
had captured. Now if Sheridan, as most men would have done,
had waited for orders from me, Lee would have got off.
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