March 12th.—A number of ships and small craft went down the river to-day with the 17th, 27th, and 46th regiments, supposed for forage. Ten or twelve ships from Rhode Island came up town to-day with forage, very opportunely. The rebels have got at Wilmington Creek several galleys and other vessels with which they annoy ours very much. They have just now taken two of the Rhode Island fleet and destroyed them;¹ they have also taken the Alert² belonging to Captain Montresor,³ with several officers' wives and much baggage and valuable things on board. It is no honour to our navy or army that this nest of rebel vessels is suffered to do so much mischief. An attack both by land and water would be the means of effectually taking and destroying the whole.