Victory On Lake Champlain   Downie brought his Confiance round
Cumberland Head, and struggled without success to reach the head
of the American line; a foul—and failing—wind forced him to
anchor opposite the American center. As his ship steadied in her
position, he fired that first broadside which every captain
tried to conserve to the last possible moment, because the guns
had been loaded in peace and quiet, under the inspection of
officers, and quoins—wedge-shaped blocks—carefully inserted
beneath the breeches for point-blank range. It did frightful
damage to the Saratoga , but from then on the balance of the
battle turned in favor of the Americans. One British sloop was
so badly knocked about that she could not let go her anchor, but
drifted into the American line, and was forced to surrender.
Another could not keep close enough to the wind and never
reached her allotted position, running aground helplessly on
Crab Island; either of these ships might have tipped the scale,
for the little Preble , badly bat