May 2025’s Cover Photo: The Grand Review

On April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth slithered his way behind Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre in Washington D.C., ending the life of the beloved president. The excitement of the surrender of Robert E. Lee and Confederate troops at Appomattox, Virginia was now overshadowed by sadness and devastation at the loss of the president. However, the war was over and President Andrew Johnson, to help lift the morale of citizens still mourning the loss of Abraham Lincoln and to honor the troops of the Union, ordered a Grand Review.

At 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 23, 1865, a signal cannon fired and the Army of the Potomac, nearly 80,000 men led by Major General George Gordon Meade, paraded down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capital before reviewing stands and then continued past the White House. The presidential reviewing stands were adorned with the colors of the nation and the names of battles that had burned their reputations within the history of the nation during the last five years of conflict. The two main stands were filled with government officials, President Andrew Johnson, his cabinet members, Union Commander U.S. Grant, members of the U.S. Supreme Court, families of military officers and various other high-ranking military officers and figures. In front of the reviewing stand, a sharply dressed military guard stood brilliantly. As Meade reached the stand, he saluted and joined the audience of dignitaries to review the rest of his army.

The following day, Wednesday, May 24, 1865, Major General William Tecumseh Sherman and his Westerners took their turn. The 65,000 men that paraded through Washington were a ragtag group. Unlike Meade’s sharply dressed men on the day before, Sherman’s men wore an array of headgear, some were not well groomed, and many had declined to wear what new uniforms could be offered. Despite their appearance, Sherman’s men marched handsomely in front of the reviewing stand to the tune, “Marching Through Georgia.” Sherman approached the review stand, saluted and made his way onto it. However, Sherman’s approach to the stand was not without drama. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, a man who Sherman had many disagreements with and shared bad feelings against, arose and stood between President Johnson and Grant. As Sherman approached, Stanton reached out his hand. Sherman refused the handshake and quickly turned to Grant.

This month’s cover photo highlights one of the many images taken that day by Matthew Brady and Alexander Gardner. If this photo is enlarged, one can see Grant on the left. Grant is joined by Edwin Stanton, President Johnson, Wesley Merritt, George Meade, Gideon Welles, Ely Parker, Montgomery Meigs, William Dennison, William T. Sherman and many other notable figures and dignitaries. The names of battles and campaigns adorn the stand, standing as tribute to the great battles of the Civil War.