Battles of December 14 including descriptions of the battles, geographic locations, associated artwork, and museums where a person can find associated artifacts and artwork.
1. The Battle of Lake Borgne
Date: December 14, 1814
War: War of 1812
Location: Lake Borgne, Louisiana, USA
Coordinates: 30°09′52″N 89°26′14″W
Description
Cause: In late 1814, a massive British expeditionary force aimed to capture New Orleans to gain control of the Mississippi River. To approach the city, the British fleet had to navigate Lake Borgne. A small flotilla of American gunboats, commanded by Lieutenant Thomas ap Catesby Jones, blocked their path to delay the advance and gather intelligence.
Result: The British won a tactical victory. Using a swarm of 42 armed rowboats (barges) carrying nearly 1,000 sailors and Royal Marines, they overwhelmed the five American gunboats after a fierce close-quarters engagement. However, the battle provided General Andrew Jackson with crucial time to fortify the defenses of New Orleans, contributing to the decisive American victory there weeks later.
Associated Art
- Painting: British and American Gunboats in Action on Lake Borgne, 14 December 1814
- Artist: Thomas Lyde Hornbrook
- Year: c. 1836–1840s
- Description: A dramatic oil painting depicting the chaotic scene of British rowboats swarming and boarding the American gunboats.
Museums & Artifacts
- U.S. Naval Academy Museum (Annapolis, Maryland, USA): Holds the original Thomas Lyde Hornbrook painting and artifacts related to the naval war.
- National Maritime Museum (Greenwich, United Kingdom): Houses collections and records related to the Royal Navy’s involvement in the War of 1812.
- The Louisiana State Museum (New Orleans, Louisiana, USA): The Cabildo and Presbytère buildings often feature exhibits on the Battle of New Orleans and the preceding Lake Borgne engagement.
- National WWII Museum (New Orleans, Louisiana, USA): While focused on WWII, this museum’s campus sometimes hosts broader military history exhibits relevant to Louisiana’s strategic importance.
Recommended Reading
- Book: The Naval War of 1812
- Author: Theodore Roosevelt
- Why it’s highly regarded: Written by the future U.S. President, this book is considered a seminal work in naval history, offering a meticulous and balanced account of the naval tactics and engagements of the war, including the operations in the Gulf Coast.
2. The Battle of Saint-Eustache
Date: December 14, 1837
War: Lower Canada Rebellion (Patriote War)
Location: Saint-Eustache, Quebec, Canada
Coordinates: 45°34′25″N 73°53′50″W (Church of Saint-Eustache)
Description
Cause: Tensions between the “Patriotes” (reformers seeking democratic change and responsible government) and the British colonial administration boiled over into armed rebellion. Following British defeats of rebel pockets elsewhere, British Commander John Colborne marched on the rebel stronghold of Saint-Eustache to crush the insurgency.
Result: A decisive British victory. The Patriotes, led by Jean-Olivier Chénier, fortified the convent, presbytery, and the village church. British artillery bombarded the structures, and soldiers set fire to the church, forcing the rebels out where they were gunned down or captured. The battle effectively ended the rebellion in the immediate region.
Associated Art
- Print: Back View of the Church of St. Eustache and Dispersion of the Insurgents
- Artist: Lord Charles Beauclerk
- Year: 1840 (Lithograph published in “Lithographic Views of Military Operations in Canada”)
- Description: A famous lithograph showing the church engulfed in flames and rebels fleeing the British cordon.
Museums & Artifacts
- McCord Stewart Museum (Montreal, Quebec, Canada): Holds a significant collection of prints, including Beauclerk’s lithographs, and historical objects from the 1837 rebellion.
- Église de Saint-Eustache (Saint-Eustache, Quebec, Canada): The church itself is a living museum; the façade still bears the marks of British cannonballs from the battle.
- Maison de la culture et du patrimoine (Saint-Eustache, Quebec, Canada): Located in the historic Manoir Globensky, this museum is dedicated to the history of the rebellion and the battle.
Recommended Reading
- Book: The Patriots and the People: The Rebellion of 1837 in Rural Lower Canada
- Author: Allan Greer
- Why it’s highly regarded: This award-winning social history provides a deep dive into the motivations of the rural inhabitants of Lower Canada, moving beyond simple political narratives to explore the roots of the insurgency that culminated in battles like Saint-Eustache.
3. The Defense of Srinagar Airbase & Battle of Bogra
Date: Sringar December 14, 1971 / Bogra December 13-15
War: Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 (Bangladesh Liberation War)
Location: * Srinagar Airbase: Srinagar, Kashmir (33°59′15″N 74°46′30″E)
- Bogra: Bogra, Bangladesh (24°51′00″N 89°22′00″E)
Description
Cause: Nearing the end of the war, Pakistani forces launched desperate air raids on Indian airfields while Indian ground forces encircled Pakistani strongholds in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
- Srinagar: Six Pakistan Air Force Sabre jets attacked the Srinagar airfield to neutralize it.
- Bogra: Indian Army divisions and Mukti Bahini (Bangladeshi freedom fighters) launched a massive assault to capture the strategic town of Bogra.
Result: * Srinagar: A legendary aerial defense. Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, flying a tiny Gnat fighter, took off under bombardment and fought off six Sabre jets alone, shooting down two before being killed. He saved the airfield and was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra (India’s highest wartime gallantry award).
- Bogra: The allied forces broke through Pakistani lines, leading to a massive surrender of troops and paving the way for the total surrender of Pakistani forces in the East two days later on December 16.
Associated Art
- Graphic Art/Illustration: Param Vir Chakra Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon
- Artist: Rishi Kumar (Illustrator for “Param Vir Chakra” graphic novels)
- Year: 2019
- Description: Modern artistic renderings and comic depictions are the most prevalent visual record of Sekhon’s dogfight, widely used in educational materials and memorials.
- Poster Art: Annihilate These Demons (Associated with the 1971 War generally)
- Artist: Quamrul Hassan
- Year: 1971
- Description: A sketch caricature of Yahya Khan, which became the iconic visual symbol of the resistance during the final days of the war.
Museums & Artifacts
- Indian Air Force Museum, Palam (New Delhi, India): Houses the Gnat aircraft flown by Sekhon (or models of it) and details of the Srinagar defense.
- Liberation War Museum (Dhaka, Bangladesh): Contains extensive artifacts, photographs, and documents related to the Battle of Bogra and the 1971 war.
- National War Memorial (New Delhi, India): Features a bust of Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon and inscriptions honoring the martyrs of the 1971 war.
- Museum of Independence (Dhaka, Bangladesh): Features exhibits on the final battles of December 1971, including the Bogra offensive.
Recommended Reading
- Book: India’s Wars: A Military History, 1947–1971
- Author: Arjun Subramaniam
- Why it’s highly regarded: Written by a retired Air Vice Marshal, this book offers a comprehensive military history of post-independence India. It provides detailed tactical accounts of the 1971 operations, including both the air defense of the Kashmir valley and the ground offensives in the eastern theater.
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Contact Information
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