On May 23 and 24, 1865, before the soldiers were mustered out of the Union Army, a Grand Review of the Armies was held in Washington, D.C., to honor the victorious troops. President Andrew Johnson also hoped to elevate the mood of a city that was devastated by the loss of President Abraham Lincoln. Over two hundred thousand soldiers marched from the Capitol to the White House before the largest crowds ever seen in that city. In a letter to Anna, Edwards estimated the number of spectators to be around fifty thousand. [SNIP] On the second day, General William T....