Evening star., 1915-09-28
10000 MARCHED
IN GRAND REVIEW
Armies of the Potomac, Ten
nessee and Georgia Were in
Line Fifty Years Ago.
PARADE REQUIRED TWO
DAYS, MAY % AND "a
Estimated Fully $1,000 Visitors
Came to See Defenders March Up
Pennsylvania Avenue.

Fifty years ago last May the tri-
umphant Armies of the Potomac, of
the Tennessee and of Georgia, the
fighting forces of the two great gen.
erals, Grant and Sherman. assembled
in Washington and passed in review
before President Johnson. who had but
lately succeeded the martyred Lincoln,
surrounded by high officials of the gov
ernment, valiant officers of the army
and navy, by the war governors of
many of the states, the foreign envoys
to this country and other distinguished
guests without number.
1t is a different Pennsylvania avenue
which the veterans now attending the
encampment will march over in parade,
compared with the avenue of fifty
years ago, a mere primitive roadway.
But they had travelled over much rough
country in the months preceding the
review.
The review of the troops in 1865 was
the result of 4 suggestion made to the
President by the great war Secretary,
Edwin NJ. Stanton. There was double
purpose in the idea of a great pageant
here at the home of the federal gov
eminent In the first place it was de-
sired to give all the soldiers possible
a glimpse of the Capital city of their
government. and, secondly. to give
thankful people an opportunity of pay
ing tribute to it's citizen soldiery. The
people, be it said to their credit,
grasped the opportunity with alacrity
They came from all over the country,
and it is estimated that fully 10000
spectators from other cities were here
to witness the marching of the troops
Three Armies in Review.
II MO, , p,,ttar of ,o,,,a rarra. 30 +la
officials of the government, as well as
to the people, that the entire army
could not be brought to Washington
for the mighty movement. But only
the Army of the Potomac, the Army of
the Tennessee and the Army of Georgia
were in easy marching distance of the
capital, and SO the orders by the Presi-
dent were confined to the members of
these commands. The Army of the
Potomac then was under the personal
command of Meade, while Sherman was
still actively in command of the Ten
nessee and Georgia forces. Had the
transportation facilities of the country
a that time been what they are today
it is more than probable that many ad
ditional armies and corps would have
been brought here and that fully half
a million men would have been in line.
AS it was, it is estimated that ap-
proXimately 10000 men marched by
the President and his guests the two
days of the review, May 23 and "a The
men, the Army of the Tennessee num-
bered $4,000 and the Army Of
Georgia numbered $4,000. An idea of
the magnitude of the Union forces may
stated that in May, 1865, more than a
million of men were in the service of
the United States. a still larger num-
Der had been enrolled and discharged
during the four years the conflict
waged. To these should be added an
other mighty host-the grand army of
the dead, 100000 strong. Altogether
nearly 100000 men had been enrolled
in the military service.
The passing of the 100000 men in
grand review constituted one of the
most remarkable sights in the history
of modern nations. The men in line
were citizens. They wore the blue and
the brass of the regulation soldier. but
they had only recently laid down the
tools of an active but domestic life
They had responded to a call for the
defense of their native country. And
now they were about to lay down the
arms they had shouldered for four
years and return to the pursuits of
peace. The review was the beginning
of the end for them. Peace had come
to all the land and there was no fur
ther need for large fighting force.
To their homes. to the upbulding of
the nation, they went, carrying with
them the everlasting gratitude of an
appreciative people.
Saddened by Linco1n's Death.
For many days prior to the review
there had been much rejoicing, sad
dened with a shock by the assassina-
tion of Lincoln. Johnson, then Vice
President, took the oath as President,
and plans for the grand review were
take up. Elaborate preparations were
made by the people, and no expense
was spared. Even the school children
being massed on the Cap
itol steps and terraces where th.sy
waved banners and sang patriotic
songs.
The first day of the review-May %
was given over entirely to the Army of
the Potomac, the soldiers who had
fought under Grant at Spotsylvana,
Cold Harbor and Petersburg. Gen.
Meade rode at the head of the mighty
column, Gen. Grant standing near the
President in the reviewing stand in
front of the White House Meade rode
at the head of his division. The first
troops following him were those of the
cavalry corps which Sheridan had
brought to such a degree of perfection.
Gems. Merritt and the ill-fated Custer