Sunday Dispatch

THE DAY BRIGHTENS.
In our issue of the 24th inst., we intimated that McClellan, Burnside and Pope bringing about a conjunction of their several corps d'armee, there would be a severe battle fought within a few days, and that fortune favoring they would be before Richmond within two weeks.
Until Friday afternoon, owing to the reticence of the War Department, or of General Halleck, the most absurd and often alarming rumors were put afloat and magnified from mouth to mouth until the entire community was depressed by a sense of impending disaster. Under this continued darkness our convictions gave way; and yet we felt that if the army had indeed been defeated, as many believed, it was owing to gross stupidity on the part of those who held the fortunes of the Republic in their hands.
Since the disastrous day at Bull Run, on the 21st of July, 1861, the people have not been so mentally exercised as they were during the past week, and the injudicious placards which were posted on the bulletin boards of two of our daily papers, about noon of Friday, contributed not a little to increase the excitement under which even the coolest labored. Toward evening, however, a better feeling began to prevail, and the official dispatch of General Pope, dated "Manassas Junction, August 28," was so encouraging as to entirely disperse the sable clouds that had filled the mental atmosphere. The intimation at the close of his note, that the battle would be renewed on the next day (Friday) was verified yesterday afternoon, by the publication of the following from his pen, which shows that our army has achieved a glorious victory on the field of Bull Run, where our army first met with, by stupid mismanagement or treachery, defeat:

Headquarters, Field of Battle,
Groveton, Near Gainesville,
Saturday, August 30.

Major-General Halleck, General-in-Chief, Washington, D. C.

We fought a terrible battle here yesterday, with the combined forces of the enemy, which lasted with continuous fury from daylight until after dark; by which time the enemy was driven from the field, which we now occupy. Our troops are too much exhausted to push matters, but I shall do so in the course of the morning, as soon as Fitz John Porter's corps come up from Manassas,
The enemy is still in our front but badly used up. We have lost not less than 8,000 men killed and wounded. and from the appearance of the field the enemy have lost at least two to our one.
He stood on the defensive, and every assault was made by ourselves.
Our troops have behaved splendidly.
The battle was fought on the identical battle field of Bull Run, which greatly increased the enthusiasm of our men.
The news just reaches me from the front that the enemy is retreating towards the mountains. I go forward at once to see.
We have made great captures but I am not able yet to form an idea of their extent.
John Pope, Major-General Commanding.