Category: 17th century

Battles of January 19 summaries plus museums, artwork, books, and a song

Battles of January 19 including descriptions of the battles, geographic locations, associated artwork, and museums where a person can find associated artifacts and artwork.

Song of the day:

Quentin Burns variation 1

Quentin Burns variation 2

1. Battle of Mill Springs

Date: January 19, 1862

War: American Civil War

Cause: This battle was precipitated by the Confederate need to defend the Cumberland Gap and the Union Army’s drive to push the Confederate defense line out of Eastern Kentucky. Confederate General Felix Zollicoffer, against orders, moved his troops across the Cumberland River to the north bank, placing them in a precarious position with the river at their back. Union General George H. Thomas moved to attack this exposed force.

Result: The battle was a decisive Union victory. It broke the Confederate defensive line in Eastern Kentucky and led to the death of General Zollicoffer (the first Confederate general to die in the Western Theater). The victory boosted Northern morale and opened the path for the Union into Tennessee.

Paintings & Art

  • Painting: Battle of Mill Spring, K.Y. Jan. 19th 1862
    • Artist: Currier & Ives (Lithograph)
    • Year: c. 1862

Museums & Artifacts

  • Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument (Nancy, Kentucky, USA): The Visitor Center and Museum houses a comprehensive collection of artifacts recovered from the battlefield, including weapons, uniforms, and personal items of soldiers. It also features interpretive exhibits on the battle’s strategy.
  • Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, D.C., USA): Holds various Civil War lithographs, including works by Currier & Ives similar to the Mill Springs prints.

Location

  • General: Nancy, Kentucky (historically Logan’s Crossroads).
  • Coordinates: 37.0544° N, 84.7397° W

Recommended Book

2. Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo

Date: Stormed on January 19, 1812 (January 7-20, 1812)

War: The Peninsular War (Napoleonic Wars)

Cause: Following victories in Portugal, the Duke of Wellington needed to secure the key border fortresses to open the invasion route into French-held Spain. Ciudad Rodrigo controlled the northern corridor. Wellington launched a rapid siege to capture the city before French Marshal Marmont could bring a relief army.

Result: The British captured the fortress after a bloody storming of the breaches on the evening of January 19. The victory secured the frontier and allowed Wellington to advance toward Badajoz and eventually Madrid. However, the discipline of the British troops collapsed after the victory, leading to a brutal sack of the city.

Paintings & Art

  • Painting: The Storming of Ciudad Rodrigo (Aquatint/Engraving)
    • Artist: Thomas Sutherland (after William Heath)
    • Year: 1815
  • Artifact: The Wellington Service Ice Pails (Depicting the storming)
    • Artist: Designed by Digby Scott and Benjamin Smith II
    • Year: c. 1814–1817

Museums & Artifacts

  • National Army Museum (London, UK): Holds extensive collections relating to the Peninsular War, including maps, letters from Wellington, and prints depicting the siege.
  • Apsley House (The Wellington Museum) (London, UK): The former home of the Duke of Wellington houses the famous Portuguese Service (silver) and the Ice Pails which depict the battle scenes, along with captured French imperial eagles.
  • British Museum (London, UK): Holds the original prints and etchings of the storming by Sutherland and Heath.

Location

  • General: Ciudad Rodrigo, Salamanca, Spain.
  • Coordinates: 40.5982° N, 6.5305° W

Recommended Book

3. Battle of St. Quentin

Date: January 19, 1871

War: Franco-Prussian War

Cause: As the Prussians besieged Paris, the French Army of the North, commanded by General Faidherbe, attempted to disrupt the Prussian supply lines and relieve the capital. The Prussian First Army, under General Goeben, moved to intercept the French forces near the town of Saint-Quentin to prevent this relief effort.

Result: The Prussians won a clear victory, forcing the French Army of the North to retreat in disorder. This defeat effectively ended any hope of relieving Paris from the north, and the city surrendered shortly thereafter, leading to the end of the war and the unification of Germany.

Paintings & Art

  • Painting: Battle of St. Quentin, 19 January 1871 (Lithograph)
    • Artist: Richard Knötel
    • Year: c. Late 19th Century (from Uniformenkunde)
  • Painting: Charge of the German Cavalry at St. Quentin
    • Artist: Amling Franz
    • Year: c. 1875

Museums & Artifacts

  • Musée de l’Armée (Invalides) (Paris, France): Contains one of the world’s largest collections of military history, including uniforms, weaponry, and paintings from the Franco-Prussian War (War of 1870).
  • Deutsches Historisches Museum (Berlin, Germany): Holds artifacts and documents relating to the wars of German unification, including the Battle of St. Quentin.
  • Town of Saint-Quentin (Aisne, France): The town itself features the Monument de 1870 commemorating the defense of the city.

Location

  • General: Saint-Quentin, Aisne, Hauts-de-France, France.
  • Coordinates: 49.8454° N, 3.2864° E

Recommended Book

4. Battle of Braddock Down

Date: January 19, 1643

War: First English Civil War

Cause: Royalist forces in Cornwall, led by Sir Bevil Grenville and Sir Ralph Hopton, were attempting to secure the county for King Charles I. They were intercepted by a Parliamentarian army under Colonel Ruthin, who had invaded Cornwall and was camped at Braddock Down, waiting for reinforcements.

Result: The Royalists launched a surprise attack. After an exchange of musket fire, a Royalist charge broke the Parliamentarian line. The Parliamentarians fled, and the Royalists secured Cornwall, capturing substantial arms and prisoners.

Paintings & Art

  • Painting: Sir Bevil Grenville (Portrait associated with the era/commander)
    • Artist: Unknown (School of Van Dyck)
    • Year: c. 1640s
  • Illustration: The Battle of Braddock Down
    • Artist: Harry Fisher (Historical Illustrator)
    • Year: 20th Century (Modern historical reconstruction)

Museums & Artifacts

  • Royal Cornwall Museum (Truro, UK): Contains exhibits on the Civil War in Cornwall, including artifacts related to Sir Bevil Grenville and the Royalist campaigns.
  • National Civil War Centre (Newark, UK): The dedicated museum for this conflict, housing armor, pamphlets, and weaponry used during battles like Braddock Down.

Location

  • General: Boconnoc / Braddock, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
  • Coordinates: 50.4160° N, 4.5660° W

Recommended Book

Books for sale

WarScholar Press

Contact Information

For more “Military History Inside Out” please follow me at www.warscholar.org, on Facebook at warscholar, on twitter at Warscholar, on youtube at warscholar1945 and on Instagram @crisalvarezswarscholar. Or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

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Battles of December 19 plus museums and artwork information

Battles of December 19 including descriptions of the battles, geographic locations, associated artwork, and museums where a person can find associated artifacts and artwork.

1. Battle of Dreux

Date: December 19, 1562

War: French Wars of Religion (First War of Religion)

Cause: The battle was triggered by the escalating religious and political tensions between the Catholics (Royalists) and the Huguenots (French Protestants) following the Massacre of Vassy. The Huguenot army, aiming to link up with English allies in Le Havre, was intercepted by the Royalist army on the road to Dreux.

Result: Catholic (Royalist) Victory. It was a bloody engagement where the commanders of both sides (Prince of Condé for the Huguenots and Anne de Montmorency for the Catholics) were captured by their enemies.

Paintings & Art

  • Painting/Print: The Battle of Dreux, 19th December 1562 (From the series Histoires diverses qui sont mémorables touchant les Guerres, Massacres et Troubles advenus en France)
    • Artist: Jean-Jacques Perrissin and Jacques Tortorel
    • Year: c. 1570
  • Painting: Bataille de Dreux 1562
    • Artist: Anonymous (French School)
    • Year: Early 17th Century

Museums & Artifacts

  • Musée d’Art et d’Histoire de Dreux (Dreux, France): Houses the 17th-century painting of the battle mentioned above, along with local history exhibits detailing the conflict and the region’s role in the wars.
  • Bibliothèque nationale de France (Paris, France): Holds original prints and engravings by Tortorel and Perrissin depicting the chaotic scenes of the battle.
  • Musée de l’Armée (Paris, France): Contains extensive collections of 16th-century armor, arquebuses, and pikes similar to those used at Dreux.

Location

  • General: Dreux, Eure-et-Loir, France (Specifically the plains south of the town).
  • Coordinates: 48.7282° N, 1.3756° E

Recommended Book

2. Capture of Fort Niagara

Date: December 19, 1813

War: War of 1812

Cause: In retaliation for the burning of the Canadian town of Newark (now Niagara-on-the-Lake) by retreating American forces days earlier, British Colonel John Murray led a surprise night assault. They crossed the Niagara River silently to storm the American fort.

Result: British Victory. The British captured the fort with bayonets in a pre-dawn raid, seizing a massive supply of arms and munitions and securing a strategic foothold on the American side of the river for the remainder of the war.

Paintings & Art

  • Painting/Illustration: The Surprise Capture of Fort Niagara (Various historical illustrations appear in 19th-century histories)
    • Artist: 19th Century Illustrators (Often attributed to military lithographers like Ackerman)
    • Year: c. 1815–1850
  • Related Art: View of Fort Niagara (Watercolor)
    • Artist: James Peachey (Depicts the fort slightly prior to the war, establishing the scene)
    • Year: c. 1780s

Museums & Artifacts

  • Old Fort Niagara (Youngstown, New York, USA): The site itself is a museum. It houses original 1812-era flags, muskets, and uniforms. The “French Castle” building, which was stormed during the battle, still stands.
  • Canadian War Museum (Ottawa, Canada): Holds artifacts related to the British 100th Regiment of Foot, which led the assault, including shako plates and redcoat uniforms.

Location

  • General: Youngstown, New York, USA (Mouth of the Niagara River).
  • Coordinates: 43.2625° N, 79.0632° W

Recommended Book

3. The Great Swamp Fight

Date: December 19, 1675

War: King Philip’s War

Cause: The United Colonies of New England (Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Plymouth) launched a preemptive strike against the Narragansett tribe. The colonists believed the Narragansett were harboring Wampanoag refugees and preparing to join the war against the English settlements.

Result: Colonial Victory. The colonial militia attacked the fortified Narragansett village in the middle of a frozen swamp. The fort was burned, resulting in the death of hundreds of Narragansett warriors and non-combatants, though the colonial forces also suffered high casualties.

Paintings & Art

  • Print/Engraving: The Great Swamp Fight
    • Artist: Unknown (Published in 19th-century histories, currently held by The Granger Collection)
    • Year: 1827 (Engraving date)
  • Illustration: Attack on the Narragansett Fort
    • Artist: Historical illustrators for Harper’s Magazine
    • Year: c. 1850s

Museums & Artifacts

  • Tomaquag Museum (Exeter, Rhode Island, USA): Provides an Indigenous perspective on the war and the massacre, featuring cultural artifacts and oral histories of the Narragansett people.
  • Great Swamp Fight Monument (South Kingstown, Rhode Island, USA): A granite obelisk marks the approximate site of the battle within the management area.
  • Rhode Island Historical Society (Providence, Rhode Island, USA): Houses colonial records, letters from commanders involved in the fight, and archaeological fragments from the era.

Location

  • General: South Kingstown, Rhode Island, USA (Great Swamp Management Area).
  • Coordinates: 41.4697° N, 71.5939° W

Recommended Book

4. Battle of Salem Cemetery (Battle of Jackson, TN)

Date: December 19, 1862

War: American Civil War

Cause: Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest launched a cavalry raid into West Tennessee to disrupt Union supply lines, specifically aiming to destroy the Mobile & Ohio Railroad which was supplying General Grant’s army.

Result: Confederate Strategic Victory. While technically a tactical repulse where Union infantry held their ground at the cemetery, the battle acted as a successful feint. It occupied the Union defenders while Forrest’s subordinates destroyed the vital railroad tracks nearby, achieving the raid’s objective.

Paintings & Art

  • Illustration: Skirmish at Jackson, Tennessee (Woodcut engraving)
    • Artist: Artists for Harper’s Weekly or Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper
    • Year: 1863
  • Modern Art: Forrest’s Raid (Various modern Civil War prints depicting the 1862 campaign)
    • Artist: Don Troiani or Mort Künstler (Thematic associations)
    • Year: Late 20th Century

Museums & Artifacts

  • Parker’s Crossroads Battlefield (Wildersville, Tennessee, USA): Located nearby, this site covers the entirety of Forrest’s West Tennessee campaign, including the Salem Cemetery engagement, with interpretive trails and artifacts.
  • Tennessee State Museum (Nashville, Tennessee, USA): Holds a vast collection of Civil War cavalry sabers, uniforms, and flags similar to those carried by Forrest’s troops.
  • Salem Cemetery Battlefield (Jackson, Tennessee, USA): The cemetery itself remains a historic site with markers explaining the infantry and cavalry movements among the graves.

Location

  • General: Jackson, Tennessee, USA (Northeast of the city center).
  • Coordinates: 35.6326° N, 88.7915° W

Recommended Book

Books for sale

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Contact Information

For more “Military History Inside Out” please follow me at www.warscholar.org, on Facebook at warscholar, on twitter at Warscholar, on youtube at warscholar1945 and on Instagram @crisalvarezswarscholar. Or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

Tags: military museum, military artwork, battles, Military History, War History, Battle Art, War Paintings, War Art, Military Art, Museum Visit, Art History, Historical Artifacts, Museum Collection, Battlefield Tours, History Museum, Museum Life, History In Art, Historic Preservation December 19, On This Day, History, Military History, War History, Historical Events, History Buff, World History, Battle Of Dreux, Fort Niagara, War Of 1812, Great Swamp Fight, King Philips War, Civil War, Battle Of Salem Cemetery, Nathan Bedford Forrest, French History, Colonial History, Old Fort Niagara, Tomaquag Museum

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Battles of December 4 plus museums and artwork information

Battles of December 4 including descriptions of the battles, geographic locations, associated artwork, and museums where a person can find associated artifacts and artwork.

The Battle of Lund (Charles XI’s War: The Scanian War Between Sweden and Denmark, 1675-1679 (Century of the Soldier 1618-1721))

Date: December 4, 1676
War: The Scania War (1675–1679)
Cause: The Swedish King Charles XI launched a desperate winter counter-offensive to break the Danish siege of Malmö and reclaim the province of Scania, which had been invaded by Denmark.
Result: A decisive Swedish victory, though it was one of the bloodiest battles in Scandinavian history with extremely high casualties on both sides.
Location: The main monument (Slaget vid Lund) stands on the site of the fiercest fighting, just north of the city of Lund.
Coordinates: 55°26′22.6″N 13°06′50.8″E (Decimal: 55.439611, 13.114111)
Paintings:
Slaget vid Lund (The Battle of Lund) by Johann Philip Lemke (1696).
King Charles XI at the Battle of Lund by David Klöcker Ehrenstrahl (c. 1690s).
The Battle of Lund (Contemporary Engravings) by Romeyn de Hooghe (c. 1677).
Museums with Associated Artifacts & Art:
Swedish History Museum (Historiska museet) (Stockholm, Sweden): Holds artifacts from the Scania War and related military history.
Malmö Art Museum / Malmöhus Castle (Malmö, Sweden): Located near the conflict zone, this museum features exhibits on the Scania War and regional history.
The Royal Armory (Livrustkammaren) (Stockholm, Sweden): Contains weapons, armor, and uniforms from the era of Charles XI.
Kulturen (Lund, Sweden): An open-air museum that frequently highlights local history related to the battle.
The Battle of the Shangani Patrol (The Shangani Patrol) (Matabele: The War of 1893 and the 1896 Rebellions)
Date: December 4, 1893
War: The First Matabele War
Cause: A small British South Africa Company patrol, led by Major Allan Wilson, crossed the Shangani River in pursuit of the Ndebele King Lobengula. They were cut off from their main column by the rising river and surrounded by over 3,000 Ndebele warriors.
Result: Total annihilation of the patrol. The 34 soldiers fought to the last man, an event that became a significant legend in British colonial history known as “Wilson’s Last Stand.”

Location: The Pupu Battlefield Memorial (where the patrol made its last stand), located near the Shangani River in the Lupane district, roughly 40km east of the main Bulawayo-Victoria Falls road.

Coordinates: 18°46′05″S 28°07′33″E (Decimal: -18.768056, 28.125833)

Note: Major Wilson and his men were later reburied at World’s View in the Matobo Hills, but the coordinates above mark the actual battlefield.

Paintings:
There Were No Survivors (also known as The Last Stand of Major Allan Wilson) by Allan Stewart (1896).
The Shangani Patrol by Richard Caton Woodville (c. 1900).
Museums with Associated Artifacts & Art:
Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe): Features exhibits on the Ndebele kingdom and the colonial wars, including relics from the patrol.
National Army Museum (London, United Kingdom): Holds archives, medals, and artwork related to the British South Africa Company and the Matabele Wars.
Zimbabwe Military Museum (Gweru, Zimbabwe): dedicated to the military history of the nation, including the colonial conflicts.

The Battle of Longewala (Indo-Pakistani War of 1971: Volume 1 – Indian Military Intervention in East Pakistan (Asia@War))

Date: December 4–7, 1971 (Battle began the night of Dec 4)
War: Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Cause: A surprise Pakistani armored invasion force (over 40 tanks and 2,000 troops) attempted to capture the Indian border post of Longewala to cut off Jaisalmer.
Result: A decisive Indian victory. A small company of Indian soldiers (approx. 120 men) held the post throughout the night of December 4th until the Indian Air Force arrived at dawn to destroy the Pakistani tank column.

Location: The Longewala War Memorial, which sits directly on the site of the 1971 engagement in the Thar Desert, Rajasthan.

Coordinates: 27°31′12″N 70°09′36″E (Decimal: 27.520000, 70.160000)

Paintings & Visuals:
The Battle of Longewala (Dioramas and Murals) by Unknown Military Artists / Indian Army Corps of Engineers (Contemporary/Modern).
Hunter over Longewala (Aviation Art depictions) often featured in Air Force galleries, depicting the Hawker Hunter jets destroying tanks.
Museums with Associated Artifacts & Art:
Longewala War Memorial (Longewala, Rajasthan, India): Located at the actual battle site, this open-air museum features the captured Pakistani T-59 tanks, the original Indian recoilless rifles used in the defense, and murals depicting the events of the night of December 4.
Jaisalmer War Museum (Jaisalmer, India): Features a dedicated “Longewala Hall” with detailed paintings, maps, and artifacts from the battle.
Indian Air Force Museum (Palam, New Delhi, India): Houses the Hawker Hunter aircraft type used to stop the armored advance.

The Battle of Waynesboro, Georgia (Southern Storm: Sherman’s March to the Sea)

Date: December 4, 1864
War: American Civil War (Sherman’s March to the Sea)
Cause: Union Cavalry commander Judson Kilpatrick moved to burn bridges and clear the route for General Sherman’s main army, clashing with Confederate cavalry led by Joseph Wheeler.
Result: Union victory. The Confederate forces were pushed back, allowing Sherman’s army to continue its march toward Savannah and the sea.

Location: The battle took place around the town of Waynesboro, Georgia. A historical marker denoting the cavalry action is located near the intersection of South Liberty Street and GA Hwy 24.

Coordinates: 33°05′23″N 82°00′57″W (Decimal: 33.089722, -82.015833)

Paintings:
Sherman’s March to the Sea (Engravings/Sketches) by Alexander Hay Ritchie (1868). (While specific oil paintings of the Waynesboro skirmish are rare, this famous engraving covers the campaign).
Contemporary War Sketches published in Harper’s Weekly (December 1864).
Museums with Associated Artifacts & Art:
Atlanta History Center (Atlanta, USA): Contains one of the largest collections of Civil War artifacts, including the “Cyclorama” painting (though depicting the Battle of Atlanta, it covers the context of the campaign).
Burke County Museum (Waynesboro, Georgia, USA): A local museum holding specific artifacts and information regarding the cavalry action in Waynesboro.
The National Civil War Museum (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA): Houses a vast collection of artifacts, uniforms, and sketches from Sherman’s campaigns.

Books for sale

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Contact Information

For more “Military History Inside Out” please follow me at www.warscholar.org, on Facebook at warscholar, on twitter at Warscholar, on youtube at warscholar1945 and on Instagram @crisalvarezswarscholar. Or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

Tags: military museum, military artwork, Sweden history, Denmark history, India history, Pakistan history, French history, Prussian history, Australian history, US Civil War, South Africa History, battles

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