The Grand Review

The above photo is an inset of Washington's Grand Review of the Union Army, 23-24 May 1865. I've never been a huge Civil War fan, but lately I've been writing some articles on the topic for a magazine, and I must say the Grand Review was quite a spectacle.

Essentially the Grand Review was a two day victory parade of the Army of the Potomac and the Army of the West, 135,000 men moving from Capitol Hill down Pennsylvania Avenue and past the White House. Here was a great review stand for dignitaries.

On day one marched the Army of the Potomac, resplendent in their uniforms, shinned buckles and forward slopping Kepi. Sitting in the review stand, Sherman realized that his Western Army of Midwestern men could never match the easterners in spit and polish soldiering. So he didn't try. Instead the men who had marched from across Tennessee, down through Georgia and then up through the Carolina's and Virginia presented themselves as is. The westerners wore ragged uniforms and broad-brimmed slouch hats, wagons and ambulances in the rear with pack animals. Sherman's men presented themselves as they were on the great march. A long snaking column of 60,000 gleaming, triumphant bayonets.

The two great armies were a metaphor for the nation, the polished and refined east contrasted with the more rough and tumble west. Of course the proud rebels of the Army of Northern staggered home in defeat.

The above inset is taken from a Mathew Brady photograph of the review stand and it's just fascinating. The row of soldiers in the fore is an honor guard but very functional above them, second from left is President Johnson to the viewers right sits Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. Now for the best part. Third from right is General Sherman, and on the far left, General Grant. Just amazing.

Below is a presentation of most of the known photographs of the review.