Category: Native Americans

Battles of December 21 summaries plus museums, artwork, and books

Battles of December 21 including descriptions of the battles, geographic locations, associated artwork, and museums where a person can find associated artifacts and artwork.

1. The Fetterman Fight (The Fetterman Massacre)

Date: December 21, 1866

War: Red Cloud’s War

Cause: Tensions rose in the Dakota Territory as the U.S. Army built forts along the Bozeman Trail, trespassing on treaty-guaranteed Lakota hunting grounds. On December 21, a wood train near Fort Phil Kearny was attacked. Captain William J. Fetterman was sent to relieve the train with explicit orders not to pursue the Native American warriors over Lodge Trail Ridge. Disobeying command, Fetterman took the bait of a decoy party led by Crazy Horse and crossed the ridge into a massive ambush.

Result: It was a total victory for the coalition of Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho forces. The entire U.S. detachment of 81 men was wiped out in roughly 30 minutes. It remained the worst defeat of the U.S. Army on the Great Plains until the Battle of the Little Bighorn ten years later.

Paintings & Art

Painting: The Fetterman Fight

  • Artist: J.K. Ralston
  • Year: 1963
  • Note: This large-scale oil painting is considered one of the most historically accurate depictions of the topography and combat of the event.

Painting: After the Fetterman Fight

  • Artist: Z.S. Liang
  • Year: 2008

Museums & Artifacts

Fort Phil Kearny State Historic Site (Banner, Wyoming, USA): Located at the actual site of the fort and near the battlefield, this museum houses an interpretative center with artifacts from the battle, weapons from the era, and detailed dioramas.

National Museum of the American Indian (Washington, D.C., USA): Contains vast collections of Plains Indian artifacts, including items from the Lakota and Cheyenne tribes relevant to the period of Red Cloud’s War.

Location

General: Near Story and Banner, Johnson County, Wyoming, USA.

Coordinates: 44°34′18″N 106°50′50″W

Recommended Book

The Fetterman Massacre by Dee Brown.

2. The Battle of Konya

Date: December 21, 1832

War: First Egyptian-Ottoman War

Cause: Muhammad Ali, the rebellious Khedive of Egypt, demanded control of Greater Syria as a reward for his assistance to the Ottoman Empire during the Greek War of Independence. When Sultan Mahmud II refused, Muhammad Ali sent his son, Ibrahim Pasha, to invade Ottoman Syria and Anatolia. The Ottoman Grand Vizier, Reshid Mehmed Pasha, was sent to stop the Egyptian advance deep within modern-day Turkey.

Result: The battle was a decisive victory for the Egyptian forces. Despite being outnumbered, Ibrahim Pasha’s disciplined modernized army routed the Ottomans. The Grand Vizier was captured, and the path to Constantinople (Istanbul) was left virtually undefended, marking a low point in Ottoman power and forcing the Empire to seek Russian aid.

Paintings & Art

Painting: Portrait of Ibrahim Pasha (The Egyptian Commander)

  • Artist: Jean-François Portaels
  • Year: Approx. 1847
  • Note: While contemporary battle scenes are rare in Western art, portraits of the victorious commander Ibrahim Pasha from this era are held in high regard for depicting the uniform and demeanor of the Egyptian leadership.

Painting: Mahmud II (The Ottoman Sultan)

  • Artist: Unknown (School of Art in Constantinople)
  • Year: Early 19th Century

Museums & Artifacts

Harbiye Military Museum (Istanbul, Turkey): One of the leading military museums in the world, it holds extensive collections of Ottoman weaponry, uniforms, and tents from the 19th century, including items from the reforms of Mahmud II.

Topkapi Palace Museum (Istanbul, Turkey): Houses the imperial treasury and archives, including firmans (edicts) and personal items belonging to Sultan Mahmud II.

Location

General: Just outside the city of Konya, Central Anatolia, Turkey.

Coordinates: 37°52′00″N 32°29′00″E

Recommended Book

Osman’s Dream: The History of the Ottoman Empire by Caroline Finkel.

3. The Capture of Savannah (Culmination of the March to the Sea)

Date: December 21, 1864

War: American Civil War

Cause: Union General William Tecumseh Sherman undertook his famous “March to the Sea” from Atlanta to the Atlantic coast to destroy the Confederacy’s economic and psychological capacity to wage war. Upon reaching Savannah, Sherman besieged the city. The Confederate commander, General William J. Hardee, realized he would be encircled and escaped across the Savannah River on December 20.

Result: On December 21, Savannah Mayor Richard Arnold surrendered the city to Union forces. Sherman occupied the city and famously telegraphed President Abraham Lincoln, offering the city of Savannah as a “Christmas gift.”

Paintings & Art

Painting: Sherman’s March to the Sea

  • Artist: F.O.C. Darley
  • Year: 1868
  • Note: A famous engraving and print series that depicts the movement of Sherman’s army through Georgia, often used to visualize the campaign that ended in Savannah.

Painting: General Sherman at Savannah

  • Artist: Various 19th Century Illustrators (Harper’s Weekly)
  • Year: 1864-1865

Museums & Artifacts

Savannah History Museum (Savannah, Georgia, USA): Located in the historic Central of Georgia Railway passenger shed, this museum features exhibits on the Civil War and the occupation of the city.

Georgia Historical Society (Savannah, Georgia, USA): Holds the oldest collection of Georgia history, including manuscripts, maps, and artifacts directly related to Sherman’s occupation.

Location

General: Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia, USA.

Coordinates: 32°04′52″N 81°05′28″W

Recommended Book

Southern Storm: Sherman’s March to the Sea by Noah Andre Trudeau.

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

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 20, On This Day, History, Military History, War History, Historical Events, History Buff, World History, Fetterman Fight, Red Clouds War, Lakota History, Bozeman Trail, Battle Of Konya, Ottoman Empire, Egyptian History, Ibrahim Pasha, Capture Of Savannah, Shermans March, Civil War History, Civil War, General Sherman

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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 17 plus museums and artwork information

Battles of December 17 including descriptions of the battles, geographic locations, associated artwork, and museums where a person can find associated artifacts and artwork.

1. The Siege of Godesberg (1583)

Date: November 18 – December 17, 1583

War: Cologne War (1583–1588)

  • Description: A pivotal siege in the conflict between Protestant and Catholic factions for control of the Electorate of Cologne, a state of the Holy Roman Empire.
  • Cause: Gebhard Truchsess von Waldburg, the Prince-Elector of Cologne, converted to Calvinism and attempted to secularize the electorate, prompting a Catholic counter-force led by Ernest of Bavaria to intervene.
  • Result: Catholic Victory. On December 17, Bavarian forces successfully breached the walls of the Godesburg fortress using mines. The castle was stormed, and the defenders were defeated, securing a major stronghold for the Catholic faction.

Art & Museums

  • Painting/Artwork:
    • Siege of Godesberg (Engraving) by Frans Hogenberg (c. 1583). Hogenberg documented the Cologne War in a series of detailed engravings.
  • Museums with Artifacts:
    • Godesburg Fortress Ruins (Bad Godesberg, Bonn, Germany): The site itself serves as a monument, with preserved ruins and historical markers.
    • Rheinisches Landesmuseum (Bonn, Germany): Holds artifacts and documents from the Electorate of Cologne era.
  • Book: The Cologne War by various historians (often covered in general histories of the Holy Roman Empire, such as German Armies: War and German Politics, 1648-1806 by Peter H. Wilson).

Location

  • General: Bad Godesberg, Bonn, Germany.
  • Coordinates: 50.6844° N, 7.1517° E

2. The First Battle of Springfield (1776)

Date: December 17, 1776

War: American Revolutionary War

  • Description: A skirmish during the New Jersey campaign following the British capture of New York.
  • Cause: British and Hessian forces attempted to advance toward Morristown to crush Washington’s retreating army. New Jersey militia forces made a stand to delay them.
  • Result: Strategic American Success. The militia, though outmatched, harassed the British forces enough to delay their advance, buying crucial time for George Washington to regroup the Continental Army across the Delaware River (setting the stage for the Battle of Trenton).

Art & Museums

  • Painting/Artwork:
    • Battle of Connecticut Farms (Depicts the region and similar militia actions) by Larry Felder (Contemporary).
    • The Spirit of ’76 (General association) by Archibald Willard (c. 1875). While not of this specific battle, it captures the militia spirit of the NJ campaign.
  • Museums with Artifacts:
    • Caldwell Parsonage (Union, New Jersey): Features displays on the NJ battles of Springfield and Connecticut Farms.
    • Washington’s Headquarters Museum (Morristown, New Jersey): Holds extensive Revolutionary War artifacts relevant to the NJ campaign.
  • Book: The Forgotten Victory: The Battle for New Jersey – 1780 (Covers the strategic context of both Springfield battles) by Thomas Fleming.

George Washington’s Revenge: The 1777 New Jersey Campaign and How General Washington Turned Defeat into the Strategy That Won the Revolution by Arthur S. Lefkowitz

Location

  • General: Springfield, New Jersey, USA.
  • Coordinates: 40.7182° N, 74.3073° W

3. The Battle of the Mississinewa (1812)

Date: December 17-18, 1812

War: War of 1812

  • Description: An expedition by U.S. forces against the Miami Indian villages in the Indiana Territory.
  • Cause: In response to Native American attacks on Fort Wayne and Fort Harrison, General William Henry Harrison ordered Colonel John B. Campbell to destroy Miami villages to prevent them from supporting British forces.
  • Result: U.S. Victory. American troops destroyed several villages and inflicted casualties. However, a counterattack the next morning and severe frostbite among U.S. troops forced a retreat.

Art & Museums

Location

  • General: Near the Mississinewa River, Grant County, Indiana, USA.
  • Coordinates: 40.6789° N, 85.8111° W

4. Capture of Laguna de Terminos (1846)

Date: December 17, 1846

War: Mexican-American War

  • Description: A naval operation led by Commodore Matthew C. Perry to secure the Mexican Gulf coast.
  • Cause: The U.S. Navy sought to cut off supplies to central Mexico and control the logwood trade in the Yucatan peninsula.
  • Result: U.S. Victory. Perry captured the town of Carmen (Laguna de Terminos) without firing a shot, effectively occupying the island and securing a strategic port.

Art & Museums

  • Painting/Artwork:
    • Commodore Matthew C. Perry (Portrait) by William Sidney Mount (c. 1850s).
    • Naval Expedition to Tabasco (Lithograph illustrating the campaign) by Sarony & Major (1847).
  • Museums with Artifacts:
    • U.S. Naval Academy Museum (Annapolis, Maryland): Holds artifacts related to Commodore Perry and the Mexican War naval campaigns.
    • Naval History and Heritage Command (Washington, D.C.).
  • Book:

Location

  • General: Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche, Mexico.
  • Coordinates: 18.6323° N, 91.8385° W

5. First Battle of Artois (1914)

Date: December 17, 1914 – January 13, 1915

War: World War I

  • Description: A major offensive by the French Army intended to break the trench stalemate on the Western Front.
  • Cause: French General Joffre ordered attacks on the Lorette Spur and Vimy Ridge to relieve pressure on other fronts and seize high ground from the Germans.
  • Result: Indecisive / Stalemate. The offensive began on December 17 but bogged down due to mud, fog, and entrenched German machine guns. It resulted in heavy casualties for minor territorial gains.

Art & Museums

  • Painting/Artwork:
    • Algerian Spahis in Artois (Lithograph) by Charles Huard (1914). Depicts North African troops in the region during the early winter battles.
    • Battle of Artois (Lithograph from “Europe During the War” series) by Anonymous (c. 1920). Held by the Met Museum.
  • Museums with Artifacts:
    • Lens’ 14 – 18 Great War Museum (Souchez, France): Dedicated to the battles of Artois.
    • National WWI Museum and Memorial (Kansas City, Missouri): Holds artwork and artifacts from the Western Front.
  • Book: Pyrrhic Victory: French Strategy and Operations in the Great War by Robert A. Doughty.

Location

  • General: Artois region (near Lens and Arras), France.
  • Coordinates: 50.3980° N, 2.7180° E (Notre Dame de Lorette)

6. Battle of St. Vith (1944)

Date: Intensified December 17, 1944 (Part of the Battle of the Bulge) (December 16-21, 1944)

War: World War II

  • Description: A critical defensive battle where the U.S. 7th Armored Division held the town of St. Vith against the German Ardennes Offensive.
  • Cause: Hitler launched a massive surprise attack to split the Allied armies. St. Vith was a vital road junction needed for the German advance.
  • Result: U.S. Defensive Success (Tactical). Although the town eventually fell days later, the defense on December 17 choked the German advance, disrupting their timetable and preventing them from reaching the Meuse River on schedule.

Art & Museums

  • Painting/Artwork:
    • Battle for Monte in the Ardennes (Watercolor painted near the front) by Robert Noel Blair (1945).
    • Message Center, 101st Airborne Division (Watercolor) by Olin Dows (1945).
    • Hold to the Last Round (Depicts the 28th Division on Dec 16-17) by James Dietz (Contemporary).
  • Museums with Artifacts:
    • National Museum of Military History (Diekirch, Luxembourg): Renowned for its Battle of the Bulge collection.
    • Bastogne War Museum (Bastogne, Belgium).
    • Airborne & Special Operations Museum (Fayetteville, North Carolina).
  • Book: A Time for Trumpets: The Untold Story of the Battle of the Bulge by Charles B. MacDonald.

Location

  • General: St. Vith, Belgium.
  • Coordinates: 50.2803° N, 6.1264° E

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, December 17, On This Day, History, Military History, War History, Historical Events, History Buff, World History, Battle Of The Bulge, WWII, WWI, War Of 1812, Revolutionary War, St Vith, Artois 1914, Cologne War, Commodore Perry, Siege Warfare

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