The Burning of USS Philadelphia (1803)

For centuries Barbary Pirates from North Africa raided merchant ships with impunity. A new emerging power, the United States, was determined to put an end to these practices and declared war on the pirates. The war was going in America’s favor yet distaster struck when on a mission to sink corsair ships, one of the most important US frigates, the USS Philadelphia, was captured intact by the Barbary Pirates. The United State’s prestige took a severe hit and the pirates now possessed one of the mightiest war ships of the time. One brave young American Lieutenant, however, was not willing to let this pass. Stephen Decatur assembled a group of volunteers and set sail to destroy the frigate and restore America’s reputation.

From the game's History encyclopedia, AoE3: DE 100.19.18309.