Battles of December 15 including descriptions of the battles, geographic locations, associated artwork, and museums where a person can find associated artifacts and artwork.
1. Battle of Nashville
- Date: December 15–16, 1864
- War: American Civil War
- Cause: Confederate General John Bell Hood attempted to reclaim Nashville, Tennessee, and cut off Union supply lines to force General William T. Sherman to withdraw from Georgia. Union General George H. Thomas, after weeks of preparation, launched a massive attack to destroy Hood’s Army of Tennessee.
- Result: A decisive Union victory. The Confederate Army of Tennessee was routed and effectively destroyed as a fighting force for the remainder of the war.
Location:
- General: Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Coordinates: 36°06′36″N 86°47′33″W
Art & Artifacts:
- Painting: The Battle of Nashville
- Artist: Howard Pyle
- Year: 1906
- Museums:
- Tennessee State Museum (Nashville, TN): Holds a vast collection of Civil War uniforms, weapons, and flags related to the western theater.
- Minnesota State Capitol (St. Paul, MN): The original Howard Pyle painting hangs in the Governor’s Reception Room.
- Battle of Nashville Monument Park: Preserves key locations of the battlefield.
Recommended Book:
2. Battle of Fredericksburg
- Date: December 11–15, 1862 (The battle concluded with the Union withdrawal on Dec 15)
- War: American Civil War
- Cause: Union General Ambrose Burnside attempted to cross the Rappahannock River and race toward the Confederate capital of Richmond. He was delayed by pontoon bridges, allowing General Robert E. Lee to entrench his army on high ground behind Fredericksburg.
- Result: A major Confederate victory. The Union army suffered staggering casualties in futile frontal assaults against Marye’s Heights and was forced to retreat across the river on December 15.
Location:
- General: Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA
- Coordinates: 38°17′42″N 77°28′12″W
Art & Artifacts:
- Painting: The Battle of Fredericksburg
- Artist: Carl Röchling
- Year: Circa 1890s
- Museums:
- Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park (VA, USA): Maintains the battlefield, Sunken Road, and Chatham Manor.
- National Museum of Civil War Medicine (Frederick, MD): Contains artifacts related to the medical treatment of the thousands wounded at this battle.
Recommended Book:
3. Battle of Colenso
- Date: December 15, 1899
- War: Second Boer War
- Cause: British General Sir Redvers Buller launched a frontal assault to cross the Tugela River and relieve the besieged town of Ladysmith. The Boers, led by Louis Botha, were heavily entrenched and camouflaged on the opposite bank.
- Result: A decisive Boer victory. The British suffered heavy casualties and lost many field guns. It was one of the three defeats during the British “Black Week.”
Location:
- General: Colenso, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Coordinates: 28°44′20″S 29°49′49″E
Art & Artifacts:
- Painting: The Last Shot at Colenso
- Artist: Richard Caton Woodville
- Year: 1900
- Museums:
- Colenso Museum (R.E. Stevenson Museum) (Colenso, South Africa): Houses specific artifacts and memorabilia from the battle.
- National Army Museum (London, UK): Holds significant collections of Boer War art and weaponry.
Recommended Book:
4. Battle of St. Lucia (Battle of the Cul de Sac)
- Date: December 15, 1778
- War: American Revolutionary War (Anglo-French War)
- Cause: A British fleet under Admiral Samuel Barrington captured the island of St. Lucia to monitor the French base at Martinique. A much larger French fleet under Count d’Estaing arrived to retake the island.
- Result: A British victory. Despite being heavily outnumbered, Barrington anchored his ships in a defensive line across the Cul de Sac bay and repelled two massive French attacks, securing the island.
Location:
- General: Grand Cul de Sac Bay, St. Lucia, Caribbean
- Coordinates: 14°01′01″N 60°58′59″W
Art & Artifacts:
- Painting: Barrington’s Action at St Lucia, 15 December 1778
- Artist: Dominic Serres
- Year: 1780
- Museums:
- National Maritime Museum (Greenwich, UK): Houses the original Serres painting and ship models from the era.
- Pigeon Island National Landmark (St. Lucia): Contains ruins of the 18th-century forts and batteries used during the conflict.
Recommended Book:
- The War for America: 1775-1783 by Piers Mackesy (Provides excellent naval context for the Caribbean campaign).
5. Battle of Mount Austen
- Date: December 15, 1942 – January 23, 1943 (Offensive began Dec 15)
- War: World War II (Pacific Theater)
- Cause: As part of the Guadalcanal Campaign, U.S. forces (specifically the Army’s XIV Corps) launched an offensive to eliminate pockets of entrenched Japanese resistance in the hills overlooking Henderson Field.
- Result: A hard-fought American victory. The capture of Mount Austen and the “Gifu” strongpoint secured the airfield from artillery fire and paved the way for the final Japanese evacuation of the island.
Location:
- General: Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands
- Coordinates: 9°28′00″S 159°58′00″E
Art & Artifacts:
- Sketch/Art: Privates Driving Down a Jeep Trail from Mt. Austen (Combat Art)
- Artist: Howard Brodie
- Year: 1942
- Museums:
- National WWII Museum (New Orleans, LA, USA): Features extensive exhibits on the Guadalcanal campaign.
- Solomon Islands National Museum (Honiara, Guadalcanal): Displays war relics recovered from the jungle battlefields.
Recommended Book:
Books for sale
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, Military Art, December 15, Civil War, Boer War, Royal Navy
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
