Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-11-25
Significant ana Secret Army and Navy
Movements at WashingtOn-TrOOps
Masssd at the Arsenal.
Engineer Officers Examining The Ap.
prOaches TO the City-What Artillery
Officers have to Say About 1t.
General Sherman Thinks that these Pre-
parati0ns are Necessary-The Pro-
posed Democratic DemOAstra.
: tiOn Next Wednesday.

New York Herald.l
WASHINGTON, November 20.-The streets
of Washington, especially in the region
known as the Island. lying between the Po-
tomac railroad depot md the arsenal grounds,
presented quite a martial appearance to-day
Soon after daylight long train rolled III from
Baltimore and unloaded three companies of
soldiers, who took up their line of march for
the arsenal, where they joined the detach-
ment which had landed over night from the
Norfolk steamer, making seven companies
within the spacious grounds. The arsenal Is
to Washington what the Battery is to New
York. 1t is large park at the extremity Of
the city, and In times OF peace IS the resort on
Sunday for pleasure seekers, comprising an
area of about fifty acres, broken up into
groves and teraced meadows Of the most ru-
raj and peaceful aspect 1t is dotted at the
same time with mounds of cannon balls, and
strewn with collections of all kinds of ord
nance. Within the inclosure are machine
shops and barracks, such as are usual in a
military depot A drenching rain fell all
day, despite which the soldiers occasionally
struggled out into the adjoining streets, while
parties of smartly dressed officers faced the
buster of the storm in search Of refreshments
at the uptown hotels and restaurants. Wash
ton gazed upon these men with new and
strange interest, despite its long familiarity
in days gone by with the soldiery. The jaun-
ty caps, blue capes and red stripes of the Of
fcers commanded instant attention and
caused the wayfarer, as the storm swept the
streets. to turn around for fuller look. So
far the garrison of Washington is confined to
the trivial number of four hundred smen, all Of
whom are quartered in the arsenal grounds.
The company which it is said would be de-
tached and sent to occupy quarters IN the
navy-yard, was retained with the rest IN the
arsenal, the fact having been made manifest
that the corps of marines in the nayy-yard
was competent for its safe keeping for the
present and until the situation of affairs be-
came more critical That more troops are
coming is most likely, but the officials at
army headquarters are proof against
the assaults of the most skillful and deS-
perate of interWewers, and their num-
Der and name are kept a profound secret.
Very naturally, the reasons and objects OF this
movement of the military at Washington are
subject of universal speculation. PartisanS
on both sides gOtO extremes and eXaggerltlOn
in the prOfiered explanation Of it. The DEM
ocrats pronounce it the beginning of a scheme
to secure Republican triumph by force Of
arms. The Republicans sayit Is precautiOn
against Democratic demonstration to pre-
vent the maugiratiOuof the Republican Pres
idential candidate.
GENERAL sHERNAN's EXPLANATION.
The real reason, however, was given by
General Sherman when he said 1--WE must
protect the public property, you know, and
we must guard the arsenals, particularly the
arsenals. whatever the eventual settlement Of