East Coast of the United States, between Norfolk and New York. The American battleships USS President and the British Little Belt engage in a fierce exchange of cannon fire. The small British ship comes out on top, losing nine sailors. The USS President, in reality, expected to face the mighty HMS Guerriere, but realizes it has overreacted, sending an emissary to the British ship to apologize for the unfortunate incident. This would be the trigger for the War of 1812, in addition to various causes of friction between the Americans and the British, such as the ongoing Napoleonic Wars, the British naval embargo and blockade, and the British arms supplied to the Native Americans.
