December 26:
- 1481 - Battle of Westbroek - Holland defeats troops of Utrecht.
- 1776 - American Revolutionary War: The British were defeated in the Battle of Trenton.
- 1793 - Battle of Geisberg - French defeat Austrians.
- 1806 - Battle of Pułtusk - indecisive battle between Napoleon and the Russians.
- 1812 - Delaware and Chesapeake blockaded during the War of 1812.
- 1861 - Confederate diplomatic envoys James Mason and John Slidell are freed by the United States government, thus heading off a possible war between the United States and Britain.
- 1862 - American Civil War: Start of the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou.
- 1943 - The German warship Scharnhorst sinks off the coast of North Cape in Norway after being attacked by the Royal Navy late the previous evening.
- 1944 - American troops repulse German forces at Bastogne.
- 1998 - Iraq announced its intention to fire upon US and British warplanes that patrol the northern and southern "no-fly zones".
December 26:
- 1481 - Battle of Westbroek - Holland defeats troops of Utrecht.
- 1776 - American Revolutionary War: The British were defeated in the Battle of Trenton.
- 1793 - Battle of Geisberg - French defeat Austrians.
- 1806 - Battle of Pułtusk - indecisive battle between Napoleon and the Russians.
- 1812 - Delaware and Chesapeake blockaded during the War of 1812.
- 1861 - Confederate diplomatic envoys James Mason and John Slidell are freed by the United States government, thus heading off a possible war between the United States and Britain.
- 1862 - American Civil War: Start of the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou.
- 1943 - The German warship Scharnhorst sinks off the coast of North Cape in Norway after being attacked by the Royal Navy late the previous evening.
- 1944 - American troops repulse German forces at Bastogne.
- 1998 - Iraq announced its intention to fire upon US and British warplanes that patrol the northern and southern "no-fly zones".