Grand Review of the Armies

Tuesday, May 23, 1865 to Wednesday, May 24, 1865

The Grand Review of the Armies in Washington, D.C. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

With the Civil War at an end, the 80,000-man Army of the Potomac marches through the streets of Washington, D.C. past thousands of onlookers, including President Andrew Johnson. The day after May 23, which winds down following a procession lasting six hours, the Grand Review of the Armies continues with a procession of Major General William T. Sherman's 65,000-man Army of the Tennessee and the Army of Georgia. Just a week later, both armies disband, and the nation looks toward rebuilding, ending slavery, and reconciling the differences between North and South.