Colonel Lyons.
Fort Donelson, June 30,1863.—Yesterday noon we had a terrific thunder storm. The building occupied by Lieut. Becker, of the artillery, in which was a large quantity of powder and loaded shell, was struck with lightning, the fluid tearing a gun to pieces within six inches of several barrels of powder. Had the powder ignited, the loss of life would have been fearful, as it is right in the midst of our camp. The escape was almost miraculous. Several men belonging to Flood’s Battery were knocked over, and one is seriously injured. He will probably lose his eyesight. Our magazine is now nearly done and we shall very soon have all our ammunition in it.
The troops at Fort Heiman have had a reverse. Lieut.Colonel Henry, the commander, took about 300 of his cavalry—nearly all he had—about a week ago, and went out on a scout. He got beyond Lexington, 70 or 80 miles from Fort Heiman, when he was attacked by a large force of rebels and his command was nearly all killed or captured. The Lieut.-Colonel of the 4th Missouri Cavalry was killed, and Lieut-Colonel Henry probably captured. Of course, when the remnant of the force at Fort Heiman heard of it they had a big scare and thought the rebels would be right on them. I sent Colonel McConnell over there Tuesday night with six bundred men and four pieces of artillery; but the scouts found no enemy near them, and the Colonel is marching back now, I suppose. How natural all this comes to the 13th, march, march, march—and no fight! Aren’t you sorry?
The guerillas don’t trouble us any, although we hear of them twenty, thirty and forty miles off. As they are living on their friends I don’t chase them. The rebel citizens are getting very sick of these fellows and beg us to send out forces after them. I tell them that they are only reaping the bitter fruits of their own folly, for they all encouraged the organization of these gangs.
