On the Lakes 131 



to port her helm and come to while still nearly a 

 quarter of a mile distant from the Saratoga. Cap 

 tain Downie came to anchor in grand style, secur 

 ing everything carefully before he fired a gun, and 

 then opening with a terribly destructive broadside. 

 The Chubb and Linnet stood further in, and an 

 chored forward of the Eagle's beam. Meanwhile the 

 Finch got abreast of the Ticonderoga, under her 

 sweeps, supported by the gunboats. The main fight 

 ing was thus to take place between the vans, where 

 the Eagle, Saratoga, and six or seven gunboats were 

 engaged with the Chubb, Linnet, Confiance, and two 

 or three gunboats; while in the rear, the Ticon 

 deroga, the Preble, and the other American galleys 

 engaged the Finch and the remaining nine or ten 

 English galleys. The battle at the foot of the line 

 was fought on the part of the Americans to prevent 

 their flank being turned, and on the part of the Brit 

 ish to effect that object. At first the fighting was at 

 long range, but gradually the British galleys closed 

 up, firing very well. The American galleys at this 

 end of the line were chiefly the small ones, armed 

 with one 12-pounder apiece, and they by degrees 

 drew back before the heavy fire of their opponents. 

 About an hour after the discharge of the first gun 

 had been fired the Finch closed up toward the Ti 

 conderoga, and was completely crippled by a couple 

 of broadsides from the latter. She drifted help- 



