Still another advantage is found in this position chosen by Macdonough. The British were obliged to come in between his line and Cumberland Head, and so could not take a position wholly beyond the range of the Yankee short guns. As a matter of fact, the British commander anchored as far away as he could, but he was obliged by the conformation of the land to come in and take his chances with the carronades. Having placed his ships in the best possible position for receiving the enemy, Macdonough made one other provision for the battle, and it was one that really saved the day. He hung anchors from the sterns as well as from the bows of his ships. Just how he arranged the stern anchors is not made clear to a landsman in Macdonough’s report or in any documents relating to the fight. If the reader will keep in mind the fact that a ship when at anchor always swings with her bow toward the wind, the matter will appear clearer. As the Yankee ships swung thus a hawser was carried from the stern of each ship either to the anchor or to some point on its cable, and made fast. These were the springs. So, then, the ship was held at each end to the anchor and could be made to swing broadside to the wind. And that means that while the wind was blowing out of the bay and the British ships had to come into the bay against it, the Yankee ships lay with their broadsides toward the enemy. But that was not all. Both cable and spring might be shot away, although both were on the side of the ship away from the enemy. So an extra anchor was planted broad off on each bow. By hauling on hawsers leading to the various anchors the ship could be turned one way or another. Further than that, an anchor was provided at the stern. If this was dropped and the bow cable cut, the wind would swing the ship around so that she would lie stern to it instead of bow to it. And this is called “winding” a ship. In short, Macdonough, though but twenty-eight years old, was a thorough seaman. He prepared and could handle every device for working his ships in the battle that was to come. He could, in perfect confidence, await the onslaught of the enemy. CHAPTER VII MACDONOUGH’S VICTORY ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN THOUSANDS GATHERED ON THE HILL-TOPS OVERLOOKING THE SCENE--THE BRITISH CHOSE TO MAKE A LONG-RANGE FIGHT--INFLUENCE OF THE FIRST BRITISH BROADSIDE ON A SPORTING ROOSTER--MACDONOUGH’S FIRST SHOT--A REELING BLOW FROM THE ENEMY’S FLAGSHIP--FIGHTING AGAINST TREMENDOUS ODDS--TOO HOT FOR ONE YANKEE SHIP--THE _SARATOGA’S_ GUNS DISMOUNTED--THE SWARMING BRITISH GUNBOATS--“WINDING SHIP” WHEN DEFEAT IMPENDED--THE BRITISH FAILURE WHEN IMITATING THE MOVEMENT--THE STUBBORN BRAVERY OF A BRITISH CAPTAIN--WHEN THE FIRING CEASED AND THE SMOKE DRIFTED DOWN THE GALE--A MEASURE OF THE RELATIVE EFFICIENCY OF THE TWO FORCES--TWO YANKEE SQUADRON VICTORIES COMPARED--A STIRRING TALE OF MACDONOUGH’S YOUTH--REWARD FOR THE VICTORS--RESULTS OF THE VICTORY.