When he arrived in the Mersey River, England, the ships of all nations gathered there displayed their flags to greet him.
In England a grand reception was accorded him in every city he visited. He was received by Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales in London, and later visited the Queen in Windsor Castle.
After visiting the other countries of Europe and being entertained by all the crowned heads, the United States man-of-war “Vandalia” was placed at his service and on board her he made a cruise of the Mediterranean Sea.
He then visited Bombay and Calcutta in India, Hong Kong, Canton and Peking in China, and finally Japan.
On September 20, 1879, he arrived at San Francisco, where a magnificent demonstration was made in his honor, and during his route East, across the United States, he was given public receptions and greeted with every mark of honor wherever he stopped.
His circuit around the world was accomplished in two years and seven months, and when he arrived back in Philadelphia, December 16, 1879, on the Pennsylvania Railroad, a great procession awaited him. All business was suspended by general consent.
The decorations along the route of the parade were unprecedented in number, variety and costliness.
The procession under the marshalship of Colonel A. Loudon Snowden, took nearly half the day in passing a given point, and it is supposed that hardly less than 40,000 men were in line.
For several days and nights the ex-President and great general had hardly any time that he could call his own; receptions, entertainments, banquets, and other methods of welcome and hospitality being kept up in rapid succession.
He was placed on the retired list of the army by a special act of Congress, March, 1884, with the rank and pay of General.