Brady STEECE wears a buckshot in his arm. It was planted there one hot July afternoon, down in Virginia, near Winchester. He didn’t like it at the time, but now he is proud of his little burden. It has become a part of himself, and he doesn’t know it is there.

Some time, however, we think that when Brady hurrahs for Blaine, it is because he imagines that buckshot gets uneasy and rolls about.

“Tell us about it,” said the Register reporter, the other day, as he observed Mr. Steece leaning against a big box of dry goods “just received” from New York.

“Oh” said Brady, “it isn’t much but it might have been a grapeshot as well as a buckshot, for some of the boys took grape on that terrible day and fell to rise no more.

I belonged to Co. H 91st O.V.I. , Capt. CROSSLEY commanding. Our regiment was brigaded with the 14th and 9th Va. regiments and 12th Ohio. Col. DUVAL was our brigade commander. We had twelve pieces of artillery and a squadron of cavalry, the whole force, about 2000 men being under Gen. AVERILL. We left Martinsburg early in the morning and marched toward Winchester, but had not got far when our advance ran into rebel cavalry, but a regiment thrown into line of battle quickly put the rebel forces on the move. Thus a half dozen times was our march arrested, until we got within four or five miles of Winchester. Then, the usual demonstrations didn’t seem to impress the rebel force gathered in a skirt of woods just in front. It was soon ascertained that the rebs meant fight, and that some ugly work was at hand; so our brigade was thrown into line of battle and moved forward under cover of a gentle slope, where we awaited developments.

In the meantime our artillery was brought up and ranged along a little raise just to our rear. The artillery duel began and for a while it was hot. The shells came in both directions over our heads, and I believe we made little dents in the earth trying to scrooch as low as possible. After thus being subjected to the noise of shells for some minutes, the time arrived to move forward. The woods in which the rebs were posted was about 300 yards ahead of us. Between us and them was clear ground. The first move was that of a squadron of cavalry, from our left, that charged out bravely on the reb right, with the purpose of turning it. But when they arrived within a couple hundred feet of the woods,, they came back pell mell, hurry-skurry, for dear life. The reb right extended far beyond the point of their attack, and actually overlapped our line. If at that moment the rebs, had charged us, the fate of the day might have been decidedly different. But they didn’t, and that gave us the chance to charge, which was immediately sounded, and forward we went.

Had we known the force that was in front of us, we might have been badly whipped, for the fact would have moderated our dash considerably, but “ignorance was bliss”, and in we went to “chaw up” the rebs. Our line was stretched perpendicular to the road; the 14th on our left, and the 9th Va. and 12 Ohio to our right. Our company happened to span the pike, which proved to be a great point of danger.

As we advanced, the artillery played its terrible tune. Our progress was at first moderated, until we came within good gun range, and the reb muskets opened on us, then the charge was sounded and forward we went. Well, now, look here; you don’t expect me to describe that charge! If you do it will take a Webster’s Unabridged and several hours to do it. I’ve been told that right where we were, was the hottest five minutes of the war, and I believe it. Yes sir, it rained balls. I could see them make puffs in the dust of the road like the big drops that begin a summer shower. The rebs had four guns right in the road, down which we were charging, and they let loose with canister. But our boys didn’t falter; on they went with the line, keeping up their battle front, though the way was strewn with dead

and wounded of company H. What was left of our company kept up the charge, and actually some of our boys clubbed the reb gunners right at their battery. But I didn’t get that far. I met with a circumstance on the way. Although it was only a buckshot, I thought it was a cannonball gone right through me. At any rate my musket dropped right out of my hand. As I stumbled to the roadside the sight was heartrending. There lay DAY, and STEEL, and BRUCE and HITE and WILKINS and others of the boys , killed and wounded. The shower of balls and shriek of shells kept up; and even then, we didn’t know but what those who were not killed would be captured. But I soon saw differently, and not withstanding my pain, I was ready to yell; for as I sat beside one of our wounded I saw a long line of reb prisoners being brought in, and then I felt pretty safe.

Well, we whipped the rebs, and it was a mystery. They had 6000 men in good position, and we had not over 2000, and charged across the open field. I think it was only impudence and dash that conquered. Anyhow, we captured their guns and drove them into Winchester. My company went into that fight with 42 and came out with 11 men under command of 5th Sergeant Albert CAMPBELL. It was there that Maj. CROSSLEY, formerly County Treasurer, lost his right arm, and which finally took his life. Eleven of our boys were killed there and twenty wounded. It about blotted out Co H. That night I joined the ambulance train for Martinsburg, and then two days after was taken to Claryville, just in time to escape old Jubal EARLY, who came up the valley driving our boys before him.”