Historical Events on January 26
- 1808: The only successful armed takeover of the Australian government occurs during the Rum Rebellion. However, this takeover would be very brief.
- 1837: Michigan is admitted into the Union as the 26th United States’ State.
- 1838: Tennessee enacts one of the very first prohibition laws in the U.S.
- 1856: At the First Battle of Seattle, American Indian forces are driven back by Marines from the USS Decatur.
- 1861: As a preamble to the American Civil War, Louisiana secedes from the Union.
- 1863: After the Fredericksburg Campaign, Joseph Hooker replaces General Ambrose Burnside as the commander of the Army of the Potomac.
- 1863: Massachusetts Governor John Albion gets permission from the Secretary of War to raise a militia of all black men.
- 1915: By an act of Congress, the Rocky Mountain National Park is founded.
- 1920: Ex-Ford employee, Henry Leland starts the Lincoln Motor Company. He would eventually sell this company to the Ford Motor Company.
- 1942:S forces arrive in Northern Ireland during World War II.
- 1945: The 4th Germany Army in East Prussia begins to become surrounded by Soviet forces. Two months later, the 4th Army will be completely destroyed.
- 1945: Audie Murphy climbs atop a United States’ Tank Destroyer, takes control of its .50 caliber machine gun and killed 50 advancing German soldiers. He would go on to receive the American Medal of Honor for his actions.
Famous Birthdays on January 26
- American general and Medal of Honor recipient, Douglas MacArthur is born in 1880.
- English engineer Harry Ricardo is born in 1885.
- American pilot Bessie Coleman is born in 1892.
- American actor and singer, Charles Lane is born in 1905.
- American actor, race car driver and businessman, Paul Newman is born in 1925.
- English businessman and co-founder of the Internet Movie Database, Col Needham is born in 1967.
- American singer-songwriter Kirk Franklin is born in 1970.
- Irish actor Colin O’Donoghue is born in 1981.