Ironton Register 17 Nov. 1887 – Brady Steece wears a buckshot in his arm. It was planted there one hot July afternoon 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. Sometimes, however, we think that Brady hurrahs for Blaine 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. Brady Steece leaning against a big box of dry goods just received from New York.
“Oh,” said Brady Steece, “it isn’t much, but it might have been grapeshot as well as buckshot, for some of the boys took grape on that terrible day and fell to rise no more.
“I belonged to Company H 91st O.V.I., Capt. Crossley was commanding. Our regiment was brigaded with the 14th and 9th Virginia Regiments and the 12th Ohio. Col. Duval was our brigade commander. We had twelve artillery pieces and a squadron of cavalry, the whole force, about 2,000 men 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 the 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 impress the rebel force gathered in a skirt of woods just in front. It was soon ascertained that the rebs meant to fight and that some ugly work was at hand, so our brigade was thrown into the battle line 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 they arrived to move forward. The woods in which the rebs were posted was about 300 yards ahead of us. Between them and us was clear ground. The first move was that of a squadron of cavalry from our left that charged out bravely on the reb right to turn it.
“But when they arrived within a couple of hundred feet of the woods, they came back pell-mell, hurry-scurry, for dear life. The reb right extended far beyond the point of their attack and 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, which gave us a chance to charge, which immediately sounded, and we went forward.
“Had we known the force 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 Virginia and 12th 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 moderated until we came within good gun range, and the reb muskets opened on us. Then the charge sounded, and we went forward. Now, look here. You don’t expect me to describe that charge!
“If you do, it will take Webster’s Unabridged and several hours. 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 puff in the road’s dust 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; they went with the line, keeping up their battlefront, though the way was strewn with the dead and wounded of Company H.
“What was left of our company kept up the charge, and 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, Steel, Bruce and Hite, 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 that those who were not killed would be captured.
“But I soon saw differently, and notwithstanding 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 6,000 men in good positions, and we had not over 2,000 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 the command of 5th Sergeant Albert Campbell. It was there that Maj. Crossley, formerly County Treasurer, lost his right arm, which finally took his life.
“Eleven of our boys were killed there, and twenty were wounded. It about blotted out Company H. That night. I joined the ambulance train for Martinsburg and, two days later, was taken to Clarysville, just in time to escape old Jubal Early, who came up the valley driving our boys before him.”
The Jackson Standard, Jackson, Ohio
15 Oct. 1885
My brother-in-law, Samuel Brady Steece, has been removed from the Post-office at Ironton. I find the following in the Ironton Register: D.M
A Card
Ironton, Ohio 7 Oct. 1885
Mr. Editor-I understands that I am “suspended” as Postmaster for being an “Offensive partisan.” I am heartily glad that my offense is Republicanism. I was baptized in blood Republican at seventeen, and you, Mr. Editor, were at the baptizing.
I, Today, carry in my body rebel lead, shot there at the hands of my country’s accusers, and you, Mr. Editor, were at the shooting. If to be a partisan for the party that stood by us boys when doing battle for our country is “offensive” and cause for suspension, no apology will be made and no excuse for my retention in office.
The people of Ironton have been very good to me in years gone by when I needed friends, and I appreciate their kindness, and I hope to meet them many times in the future.
Yours truly, S.Brady Steece.
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