Imagine Watching 150,000 Union Soldiers March Through Washington
Most people know how the Civil War started.
Far fewer know how it ended.
Just weeks after the fighting stopped, Washington, D.C. filled with cheering crowds as wave after wave of Union soldiers marched through the capital. Veterans who had fought at Gettysburg, Antietam, Vicksburg, and dozens of other battlefields passed down Pennsylvania Avenue while spectators packed the sidewalks to watch.
For two days, the city became the stage for one of the largest military celebrations in American history.
The six stereoviews in this collection show scenes from that event—the Grand Review of the Armies. Viewed through a stereoscope in the late 1800s, these images gave everyday Americans a front-row seat to a moment that marked the end of the Civil War and the beginning of a very different chapter in the nation's history.
A Victory Parade Unlike Anything the Country Had Ever Seen
The Grand Review took place in May of 1865, just weeks after General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox.
The war was over, but the country was still trying to figure out what came next.
Thousands upon thousands of soldiers arrived in Washington. Camps sprang up around the city. Visitors poured in from across the country. Hotels filled. Streets overflowed. Newspaper reporters struggled to describe the scale of what they were seeing.
When the march finally began, the procession seemed endless.
The Army of the Potomac marched on the first day. The Army of the Tennessee followed on the second. For hours, battle-hardened veterans passed government buildings, reviewing stands, and crowds that stretched for blocks.
Many of the men marching had survived some of the bloodiest battles in American history. Now they were finally heading home.
It's hard not to imagine what it must have felt like to stand there and watch it unfold.
Your Civil War Memorabilia Could Be the Next Auction Highlight
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Why We Thought These Stereoviews Were So Interesting
One of the things we enjoy most about historic photography is its ability to make distant history feel surprisingly close.
A textbook can tell you that the Grand Review happened. These stereoviews let you actually see it.
You can study the formations of soldiers, the buildings, the crowds, and the details that no historian would ever think to write down. Little moments frozen in time that somehow survived for more than 150 years.
What attracted us to this group wasn't just that the images were old, but that it was that all six photographs told the same story.
Together they form a small visual record of a single event. Instead of one isolated photograph, you get a series of views that help bring the scene to life. That's something collectors often appreciate.
Why Collectors Still Love Civil War Stereoviews
Civil War stereoviews have been popular with collectors for generations.
Part of the appeal is that they sit at the crossroads of several collecting fields at once. They appeal to Civil War enthusiasts, photography collectors, Americana collectors, and people who simply enjoy owning a tangible connection to the nineteenth century.
The market for stereoviews is also surprisingly broad.
Many common examples remain affordable, while scarce views tied to important events, battlefields, Abraham Lincoln, or well-known photographers can bring much stronger prices.
Some rare Civil War stereoviews have sold for thousands of dollars over the years. Photographer Sam A. Cooley, for example, produced some of the most sought-after images of the period, with exceptional examples bringing impressive auction results when they appear on the market.
As with almost any collectible, rarity, condition, subject matter, and historical importance all play a role.
Have Old Stereoviews, CDVs, Tintypes, or Antique Photographs?
One of the fun things about old stereoviews is that they never seem to completely disappear. Every year we hear from families, collectors, and estate representatives who uncover boxes of stereoviews, CDVs, tintypes, cabinet cards, and other historic photographs that have been sitting on shelves for decades. Some are family keepsakes. Others were assembled by serious collectors over a lifetime.
If you've come across a collection and would like to learn more about selling stereoviews, Civil War photographs, or other historic photography, take a look at our information about consigning antique photograph collections.
Collect Stereoviews?
If these Grand Review stereoviews caught your attention, you're not alone. Stereoviews remain one of the most enjoyable areas of historic photography collecting, with subjects ranging from the Civil War and western expansion to travel views, famous landmarks, and everyday life in the nineteenth century.
We regularly encounter stereoviews, CDVs, tintypes, cabinet cards, and other fresh-to-market photography from estates and private collections. Collectors interested in upcoming auctions featuring stereoviews and historic photography can join our photography auction email list to hear about similar material before future sales.
