1777day.year
Sybil Ludington, aged 16, allegedly rode 40 miles (64 km) to alert American colonial forces to the approach of British regular forces
At age 16, Sybil Ludington rode 40 miles through the night to warn American colonial militias of a British advance, an act often compared to Paul Revere’s famous ride.
On April 26, 1777, sixteen-year-old Sybil Ludington set out from her family’s home in Putnam County, New York.
Riding alone by lantern light, she covered nearly 40 miles to alert American troops of an imminent British attack on Danbury, Connecticut.
Her determined journey rallied local militiamen, who successfully countered the British raid.
Ludington’s feat was twice the distance of Paul Revere’s ride and demonstrated the crucial role of women in the Revolutionary War.
Although long overshadowed by her male counterparts, she is now celebrated as a patriotic heroine.
Her story endures as a testament to youthful courage and commitment to the cause of independence.
1777
Sybil Ludington
British regular forces
1794day.year
Battle of Beaumont during the Flanders Campaign of the War of the First Coalition.
In the War of the First Coalition’s Flanders Campaign, Coalition and French forces clashed at the Battle of Beaumont in a fierce encounter for strategic control.
On April 26, 1794, Coalition armies including Austrian, British, and Dutch troops engaged French Revolutionary forces near Beaumont in the Austrian Netherlands.
The battle formed part of the larger Flanders Campaign aimed at countering the radical French Republic.
Coalition commanders sought to secure key positions to halt the French advance toward the Low Countries.
Heavy fighting ensued as both sides maneuvered across challenging terrain and fortified villages.
Although inconclusive, the engagement drained resources on both sides and foreshadowed further large-scale battles.
The clash at Beaumont reflected the intensity and complexity of warfare during Europe’s revolutionary upheavals.
1794
Battle of Beaumont
Flanders Campaign
War of the First Coalition
1805day.year
First Barbary War: United States Marines captured Derne under the command of First Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon.
During the First Barbary War in 1805, U.S. Marines under Lieutenant Presley O’Bannon captured Derne, marking the first American victory on foreign soil.
On April 26, 1805, a small force of U.S. Marines and allied mercenaries stormed the city of Derne on the Libyan coast.
Led by First Lieutenant Presley O’Bannon, they supported Hamet Karamanli’s bid to reclaim his throne in Tripoli.
The assault succeeded quickly, and the American flag was raised over the captured city.
This victory inspired a line in the Marine Corps hymn: “to the shores of Tripoli,” symbolizing early American naval prowess.
The action helped secure a favorable peace treaty and ended the First Barbary War.
Derne stands as a landmark in U.S. military history and tradition.
1805
First Barbary War
United States Marines
captured
Derne
First Lieutenant
Presley O'Bannon
1865day.year
Union cavalry troopers corner and shoot dead John Wilkes Booth, assassin of President Abraham Lincoln, in Virginia.
Union cavalrymen track down and kill John Wilkes Booth, President Abraham Lincoln's assassin, in Virginia.
On April 26, 1865, Union cavalry troopers led by Lieutenant Edward P. Doherty tracked down John Wilkes Booth at Richard Garrett's farm in Virginia. Booth, the man who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, was cornered in a tobacco barn and refused to surrender. After the barn was set afire, cavalrymen opened fire, fatally wounding him. Booth died a few hours later, ending the most notorious manhunt of the Civil War era. His death brought a sense of closure to a nation still reeling from the president's murder and the turmoil of Reconstruction.
1865
Union
John Wilkes Booth
assassin of President Abraham Lincoln
Virginia
1915day.year
World War I: Italy secretly signs the Treaty of London pledging to join the Allied Powers.
Italy clandestinely agrees to enter World War I on the side of the Allies by signing the Treaty of London.
In a secret diplomatic move on April 26, 1915, Italy signed the Treaty of London, committing to join the Allied Powers in World War I. The treaty promised Italy territorial gains in the Adriatic region at the expense of Austria-Hungary. This agreement marked Italy's departure from its previous alliance with the Central Powers and reshaped the strategic landscape of the conflict. Italian troops entered the war in May 1915, engaging in grueling mountain warfare along the Isonzo Front. The Treaty of London's covert nature fueled political debates at home and influenced postwar negotiations at the Paris Peace Conference.
1915
World War I
Italy
Treaty of London
Allied Powers
1916day.year
Easter Rising: Battle of Mount Street Bridge.
Rebels and British troops engage in fierce fighting at Mount Street Bridge during the Easter Rising in Dublin.
On April 26, 1916, the Battle of Mount Street Bridge became one of the bloodiest engagements of the Easter Rising. Irish Volunteers occupied strategic positions around the bridge, inflicting heavy casualties on advancing British forces. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the rebels held their ground for nearly nine hours, delaying British reinforcements. The intense urban combat highlighted the determination of Irish nationalists fighting for independence from British rule. The battle's high casualty rate and tactical significance made it a defining moment in Ireland's struggle for sovereignty.
1916
Easter Rising
Battle of Mount Street Bridge
1937day.year
Spanish Civil War: Guernica, Spain, is bombed by the German Condor Legion and the Italian Aviazione Legionaria.
German and Italian forces bomb the Basque town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War.
On April 26, 1937, the German Condor Legion and the Italian Aviazione Legionaria launched an aerial bombardment of Guernica, Spain, targeting civilians and infrastructure. The attack decimated the historic town center, causing widespread chaos and civilian casualties. News of the bombing shocked the world and inspired Pablo Picasso's iconic painting 'Guernica,' a powerful anti-war statement. The raid demonstrated the devastating potential of modern aerial warfare and foreshadowed tactics used in World War II. Guernica's destruction remains a stark reminder of the human cost of conflict and the urgent need for civilian protection.
1937
Spanish Civil War
Guernica
bombed
Condor Legion
Aviazione Legionaria
1944day.year
Heinrich Kreipe is captured by Allied commandos in occupied Crete.
Allied commandos executed a daring night raid that captured German General Heinrich Kreipe, striking a psychological blow against German forces in Crete.
Allied Special Operations Executive agents executed a covert abduction mission under cover of darkness. Disguised as German military police, they ambushed the general's staff car on a remote road between villages. After forcing Kreipe from his vehicle, the raiders navigated through mountainous terrain to avoid enemy patrols. The escape included a tense stand-off at a roadblock, where forged documents and quick thinking secured safe passage. After two weeks of evasion, Kreipe was airlifted to Egypt and remained a high-profile prisoner of war. The operation boosted Cretan resistance morale and demonstrated the reach of British special forces. It became one of the war's most celebrated commando missions and inspired books and films. Kreipe later wrote about his captivity, reflecting on the boldness of his captors.
Heinrich Kreipe
occupied Crete
1945day.year
World War II: Battle of Bautzen: Last successful German tank-offensive of the war and last noteworthy victory of the Wehrmacht.
On April 26, 1945, the German Wehrmacht launched its last successful tank offensive at the Battle of Bautzen, securing a tactical victory even as the Third Reich crumbled.
In the final weeks of World War II, German forces under General Kurt von Tippelskirch counterattacked Soviet and Polish units near Bautzen in Saxony. Utilizing well-coordinated armor and infantry tactics, they achieved a local breakthrough. The surprise offensive captured vital rail junctions and surrounding villages. Despite being heavily outnumbered on the Western and Eastern fronts, the Germans inflicted significant losses on advancing Allied troops. The victory, however, came too late to alter the overall outcome of the war. Casualties were heavy on both sides, and the town sustained considerable damage. Bautzen's defense delayed Soviet advances, buying time for retreating German units. Historians regard this battle as the Wehrmacht's final operational success. Nonetheless, Berlin fell less than two weeks later.
1945
World War II
Battle of Bautzen
Wehrmacht
1945day.year
World War II: Filipino troops of the 66th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Commonwealth Army, USAFIP-NL and the American troops of the 33rd and 37th Infantry Division, United States Army liberate Baguio as they fight against the Japanese forces under General Tomoyuki Yamashita.
On April 26, 1945, Filipino and American forces liberated the city of Baguio from Japanese occupation, marking a key victory in the Philippines Campaign of World War II.
After months of siege warfare and mountainous fighting in northern Luzon, the joint forces of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the U.S. 33rd and 37th Infantry Divisions launched a decisive assault. Baguio, the former summer capital of the Philippines, had strategic importance due to its airfields and road networks. Under the command of General Yamashita, Japanese defenders put up stiff resistance in the city's elevated terrain. The attackers employed combined arms tactics, integrating artillery barrages and infantry maneuvers. By nightfall, key positions in the city center fell to the liberators. The victory restored morale among Allied troops and weakened Japanese hold on Luzon. Civilian residents welcomed returning governance and relief efforts began immediately. The liberation of Baguio paved the way for the final push towards the Japanese stronghold at Kiangan. This operation underscored the effectiveness of Filipino-American cooperation in retaking the archipelago.
Baguio
Tomoyuki Yamashita