NEWS OF THE WEEK.
GENERAL ROSECRA.NZ has suffered a serious defeat from the combined army of Generals Bragg and Joseph Johnston, probably reinforced from General Lee's army on the Rappahannock. In the third week in Septem- ber, General Rosecranz had advanced his force south-east from Chattanooga so as to face Bragg at Lafayette, the object of which movement was to defend the Bridgeport Railway, by which he drew his supplies. General Bragg, whose army had been swollen, it is said, to from 70,000 to 90,000 men, attacked General Rosecranz's centre on the 19th September, before Burnside could join him from Knoxville, and broke it. On the 20th, General Bragg di- rected his attack on the Federal left, so as to cut in between the armyand Chattanooga. Federal General Thomas, who was opposed to the attacking party, was obliged to retire towards Chattanooga. General Bragg now sent Bishop Polk, the fighting bishop, once more against the centre of the Federal army, when the prelate succeeded in breaking two divisions; and seems to have cut the Federal army in two. The battle of Sunday, the 20th ult., seems to have ended in leaving the Federals in two fragments, the one still defending the Bridge- port line, the other under General Thomas at Rossville, eight miles from Chattanooga. Burnside, it is said, was still six hours' march from General Rosecranz, and the fear is that General Bragg would succeed in cutting in between his advancing army and that of Rosecranz, and defeating Burn- side before he effects a junction. There can be no doubt that it is a vety heavy Federal reverse. Gold had gone up to 401 premium, and afterwards declined to 373. General Meade made no use of the weakening of the Confederate army on the Rappahannock to effect any diversion by an attack on Lee. He is still inactive.
