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Grand Review of the Armies in Washington, D.C.

When
1865
Where
Washington, D.C.
Episodes
1

The Grand Review of the Armies was a military procession in Washington, D.C., on May 23–24, 1865, celebrating the Union victory in the American Civil War. Union troops paraded down Pennsylvania Avenue to honor the end of the conflict, receiving accolades from crowds and officials, including President Andrew Johnson.

Episodes

  1. May 23, 1865 · Washington, D.C.Army of the Potomac Parade

    On May 23, 1865, Major General George Gordon Meade led an estimated 80,000 men of the Army of the Potomac down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.

Background and detail

Background. Following the Union victory in the American Civil War, President Andrew Johnson declared the rebellion virtually ended on May 10, 1865. He planned a formal review to honor the troops. The event took place in Washington, D.C., the capital city, where the federal government had expanded significantly during the war, leading to population growth.

Procession. On May 23, Major General George Gordon Meade led the Army of the Potomac down Pennsylvania Avenue. The mood was celebratory, with crowds and soldiers singing patriotic songs as they moved toward the White House. The disbandment of Union armies signaled a return to normal life for the population.

Legacy. The Grand Review is linked to the origins of Memorial Day celebrations. Today, the National Memorial Day Parade of the American Veterans Center marches through parts of the historic parade route used during the two days of parades in 1865, preserving the memory of the event.

People involved

Sources

  1. Grand Review of the Armies Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-25
  2. Washington, D.C. Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-01

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.