Events in History
- Dec 2 Philippine–American War: The Battle of Tirad Pass, termed "The Filipino Thermopylae", is fought.
- Dec 2 US & Germany agree to divide Samoa between them
- Dec 4 56th Congress (1899-1901) convenes
- Dec 4 Webb Hayes, son of US President Rutherford Hayes, receives medal of honor
- Dec 9 Boer War: During Siege of Ladysmith, Boers storm King's Post and Caesar's Camp - driven back
- Dec 10 -15] British "Black Week" due to defeats in South Africa
- Dec 10 Battle at Storm Berge South Africa - Boers vs British army
- Dec 10 Delta Sigma Phi fraternity founded at City College of New York, to spread "the principles of friendship and brotherhood among college men, without respect to race or creed."
- Dec 12 1st case of plague on Oahu, Hawaii
- Dec 15 Battle at Colenso, South Africa: British army defeated by Boer force
- Dec 18 Field Marshal Lord Roberts appointed British supreme commander in South Africa
- Dec 23 British Field Marshal Lord Roberts departs Southampton for South Africa for the 2nd Boer War
- Dec 23 Tentative Turkish & German treaty on construction of Baghdad railway
- Dec 25 Shelling on besieged Ladysmith during the Boer War includes one shell containing a plum pudding
- Dec 26 Mafeking: Bathe-Powells failed assault up fort Game Tree: 24 killed
- Dec 29 British fleet seizes German Imperial Mail Steamer Bundesrath accused of carrying contraband
Birthdays in History
- Dec 1 Robert W. Welch Jr., American businessman who founded the conservative John Birch Society, born in Chowan County, North Carolina (d. 1985)
- Dec 3 Ikeda Hayato, Prime Minister of Japan (1960-64), born in Takehara, Hiroshima, Japan (d. 1965)
- Dec 4 Douwe Hermans Kiestra, Frisian farmer and writer, born in Poppenwier, Netherlands (d. 1970)
- Dec 6 Harry Buller Siege Willis, son of South Africa boer in Ladysmith
- Dec 8 Sarah Williamson, US missionary in Liberia
- Dec 9 Jean de Brunhoff, French children's book author (Babar the Elephant), born in Paris (d. 1937)
- Dec 9 Léonie Adams, American poetess (Those not elected), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1988)
- Dec 11 Vera von der Heydt, German psychoanalyst, born in Berlin (d. 1996)
- Dec 13 Harold Guinzburg, American publisher (founder of Literary Guild), born in NYC, New York (d. 1961)
- Dec 16 Harold Walter Bailey, philologist
- Dec 20 John Sparkman, American politician (Sen-D-Alabama 1946-79, Rep-D-Alabama 1937-46), born in Hartselle, Alabama (d. 1985)
Deaths in History
- Dec 2 Gregorio del Pilar, Filipino general (killed at Battle of Tirad Pass) (b. 1875)
- Dec 11 Andrew Wauchope, British Major-General, dies in Battle of Magersfontein in the Boer war, South Africa. Another British Major, The Marquess of Winchester also killed.
- Dec 17 Frederick "Freddy" Roberts, son of British field marshal, dies in battle
- Dec 22 Dwight L Moody, US evangelist (Student Volunteer Movement), dies
- Dec 30 James Paget, English surgeon (disease of Paget), dies at 85
Authors
Civil Rights Activists
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Revolutionaries
Scientists