Glad you're the one to break cover, I didn't like to, it might be something unsuitable with ladies present. 

19 January 1812 - The British captured Ciudad Rodrigo.

Just months after the British evacuation of Spain in 1809 (see 16 January) Sir Arthur Wellesley returned with a fresh army to resume the fight with Napoleon. 

For nearly three years there existed a stalemate with neither side able to deliver a decisive blow. In January 1812 Wellesley, by then raised to the Peerage as Viscount Wellington, invaded Spain for the second time with his first target the fortress of Ciudad Rodrigo which had been held by the French for two years. 

On 8 January the redoubt on a hill overlooking Ciudad Rodrigo was overrun with little resistance and over the following week trenches and gun emplacements were excavated for the siege proper. On the 13th and 14th two convents occupied by the French were taken and with the environs of the city clear of French the British guns opened fire. 

After five days two breaches in the walls allowed for an assault. Resistance at the larger breach was fierce, but at the lesser the British fought their way through and attacked the French from behind at the larger. The city surrendered at the cost of several hundred dead to the British 195 killed.  

The victory allowed for a British advance into Spain and the eventual expulsion of the French from the peninsula. Viscount Wellington was further raised to the rank of Earl of Wellington and rewarded with noble titles in Portugal and by the exiled true King of Spain. 

19 January 1812 - The British captured Ciudad Rodrigo.

Just months after the British evacuation of Spain in 1809 (see 16 January) Sir Arthur Wellesley returned with a fresh army to resume the fight with Napoleon. 

For nearly three years there existed a stalemate with neither side able to deliver a decisive blow. In January 1812 Wellesley, by then raised to the Peerage as Viscount Wellington, invaded Spain for the second time with his first target the fortress of Ciudad Rodrigo which had been held by the French for two years. 

On 8 January the redoubt on a hill overlooking Ciudad Rodrigo was overrun with little resistance and over the following week trenches and gun emplacements were excavated for the siege proper. On the 13th and 14th two convents occupied by the French were taken and with the environs of the city clear of French the British guns opened fire. 

After five days two breaches in the walls allowed for an assault. Resistance at the larger breach was fierce, but at the lesser the British fought their way through and attacked the French from behind at the larger. The city surrendered at the cost of several hundred dead to the British 195 killed.  

The victory allowed for a British advance into Spain and the eventual expulsion of the French from the peninsula. Viscount Wellington was further raised to the rank of Earl of Wellington and rewarded with noble titles in Portugal and by the exiled true King of Spain. 

Two convents occupied by the French? Must have been difficult storming that redoubt if the nuns occupied it. 

The nuns cleared out before French troops took over and turned the two converts into defensive sites. 

20 January 1567 - The Portuguese captured Rio de Janeiro.

Although the city of Rio de Janeiro is inextricably linked with Portugal whose explorers were the first to land there the first settlers were in fact French. 

In 1555 a band of French Protestant (Huguenot) settlers under Nicolas de Villegaignon established a colony on an island in Guanabara Bay and named it Fort Coligny in honour of the main backer of the venture Admiral Coligny. The settlers soon expanded their territory to the mainland establishing a settlement named in honour of King Henri II - Henriville.

But just a few years later in 1560 the Portuguese attacked the French and destroyed Fort Coligny but were unable to expel the French entirely who regrouped on the mainland. A second assault in 1565 succeeded in the creation of a Portuguese garrison in the area, but it was not until January 1567 that they finally defeated the French and put an end to French colonial ambitions south of the equator in the Americas.     

20 January 1567 - The Portuguese captured Rio de Janeiro.

Although the city of Rio de Janeiro is inextricably linked with Portugal whose explorers were the first to land there the first settlers were in fact French. 

In 1555 a band of French Protestant (Huguenot) settlers under Nicolas de Villegaignon established a colony on an island in Guanabara Bay and named it Fort Coligny in honour of the main backer of the venture Admiral Coligny. The settlers soon expanded their territory to the mainland establishing a settlement named in honour of King Henri II - Henriville.

But just a few years later in 1560 the Portuguese attacked the French and destroyed Fort Coligny but were unable to expel the French entirely who regrouped on the mainland. A second assault in 1565 succeeded in the creation of a Portuguese garrison in the area, but it was not until January 1567 that they finally defeated the French and put an end to French colonial ambitions south of the equator in the Americas.     

Is King Henri II & King Henry II the same person?

We’ve got more admirals than ships.

We’ve got more admirals than ships.

Well, that is disturbing with GB's history of ruling the waves. 

We’ve got more admirals than ships.

Well, that is disturbing with GB's history of ruling the waves. 

We don’t just have…. an admiral, we have admirals of the red, white and blue.

There are too many generals. The military has become top heavy. They need more lower-level people. 

20 January 1567 - The Portuguese captured Rio de Janeiro.

Although the city of Rio de Janeiro is inextricably linked with Portugal whose explorers were the first to land there the first settlers were in fact French. 

In 1555 a band of French Protestant (Huguenot) settlers under Nicolas de Villegaignon established a colony on an island in Guanabara Bay and named it Fort Coligny in honour of the main backer of the venture Admiral Coligny. The settlers soon expanded their territory to the mainland establishing a settlement named in honour of King Henri II - Henriville.

But just a few years later in 1560 the Portuguese attacked the French and destroyed Fort Coligny but were unable to expel the French entirely who regrouped on the mainland. A second assault in 1565 succeeded in the creation of a Portuguese garrison in the area, but it was not until January 1567 that they finally defeated the French and put an end to French colonial ambitions south of the equator in the Americas.     

Is King Henri II & King Henry II the same person?

Not the same person as Henry II of England 1154-89, Henri II, King of France 1547-59. I usually try to give the name of a Monarch as it would be in their country, so Henri of France rather than Anglicized to Henry.  

20 January 1567 - The Portuguese captured Rio de Janeiro.

Although the city of Rio de Janeiro is inextricably linked with Portugal whose explorers were the first to land there the first settlers were in fact French. 

In 1555 a band of French Protestant (Huguenot) settlers under Nicolas de Villegaignon established a colony on an island in Guanabara Bay and named it Fort Coligny in honour of the main backer of the venture Admiral Coligny. The settlers soon expanded their territory to the mainland establishing a settlement named in honour of King Henri II - Henriville.

But just a few years later in 1560 the Portuguese attacked the French and destroyed Fort Coligny but were unable to expel the French entirely who regrouped on the mainland. A second assault in 1565 succeeded in the creation of a Portuguese garrison in the area, but it was not until January 1567 that they finally defeated the French and put an end to French colonial ambitions south of the equator in the Americas.     

Is King Henri II & King Henry II the same person?

Not the same person as Henry II of England 1154-89, Henri II, King of France 1547-59. I usually try to give the name of a Monarch as it would be in their country, so Henri of France rather than Anglicized to Henry.  

Thank you, Mark. 

No self-respecting British Monarch would spell Henry with an "i", except maybe Prince Harri.

21 January 1919 - The Soloheadbeg Ambush.

Not a battle, but the first incident of the Irish War of Independence..

A few hours before the self-proclaimed Revolutionary Irish Parliament was proclaimed in Dublin and the Declaration of Independence issued a gang of eight Irish Volunteers ambushed a consignment of gelignite being carried by horse-drawn cart from Tipperary Barracks to the Soloheadbeg Quarry. The convoy consisted of two civilian drivers guarded by two armed RIC policemen. 

As the attackers ordered the cart to halt the policemen raised their rifles but were shot dead before they could fire a shot. The civilian drivers were held captive for a few hours before being released once the gelignite had been spirited away.   

22 January 1879 - The Battles of Isandhlwana and Rorke's Drift, two of the most famous in colonial history.

The British invaded Zululand in three columns in mid January 1879. The centre column left a rear base and hospital on the border at Rorke's Drift before advancing to Isandhlwana. 

On the morning of 22 January the majority of the column under the command of the expedition's overall leader Baron Chelmsford marched out east in search of the Zulu army leaving 1774 men in camp with two artillery pieces and three rocket batteries. In reality the Zulus were not to be found to the east, they lay to the north and once Chelmsford was safely out of the way the Zulu army of around 16,000 descended on the camp.

Sheer numbers and a failure to distribute ammunition led to the camp being overwhelmed in a few hours. Of the 1774 men, most of whom were of the 24th Regt, less than 300 survived, the bulk being blacks of the Natal Native Contingent who fled early on, less than 40 Europeans escaped. The number of Zulu dead was roughly similar.

A reserve of 4000 Zulus moved on to Rorke's Drift which had been warned by survivors from Isandhlwana that an attack was coming. They were able to fortify the site with waggons and mealie bag walls so that when the Zulus attacked the garrison of 139, including non-combatants and the sick, were able to hold off the ferocious assault until dawn the next day. 15 died to the Zulus losses of over 400.

11 Victoria Crosses were awarded for the action at Rorke's Drift plus three, two posthumous, for Isandhlwana.         

I find it's easier to type out a paragraph or two and post them, then go back in to edit and add more. That way you'll not lose everything at once, there's always something to add to. 

As for the ammunition shortage at Isandhlwana the story is true. In the Regimental Museum at Brecon they've got ammo boxes from the battle with the lids kicked in not unscrewed, showing that in desperation to get at the contents the men simply used their boots to smash the lids open.  

As for the campaign commander his full title is Frederic Augustus Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford. Although he ultimately defeated the Zulus he never held field command again.  

I find it's easier to type out a paragraph or two and post them, then go back in to edit and add more. That way you'll not lose everything at once, there's always something to add to. 

As for the ammunition shortage at Isandhlwana the story is true. In the Regimental Museum at Brecon they've got ammo boxes from the battle with the lids kicked in not unscrewed, showing that in desperation to get at the contents the men simply used their boots to smash the lids open.  

As for the campaign commander his full title is Frederic Augustus Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford. Although he ultimately defeated the Zulus he never held field command again.  

It was only in one section of the army where ammunition got held up, the rest had no problem. Even at the end one private soldier grabbed bandoliers full of ammunition and escaped to a small cave, where he shot around 15 Zulus before they got to him.

23 January 1622 - English attack on Qeshm Island.

An insignificant skirmish remembered only for the death of the explorer William Baffin.

Baffin is immortalized in the annals of Arctic exploration with Baffin Bay and Baffin Island, geographical features his expedition encountered in 1615/16, but met his death in the desert heat of Persia.

After failing to find the Northwest Passage Baffin entered the service of the British East India Company as a mapmaker and navigator on voyages to the Far East. By 1620 he was in command of the BEIC ship London sailing to India and the Gulf of Oman. In January 1622 the BEIC joined forces with the Shah of Persia to attack the Portuguese fortress on the island of Qeshm at the entrance to the Persian Gulf. Prior to the bombardment Baffin went ashore to take measurements for the gunners but got too close and was hit by a gunshot from the walls and died there in the sand.   

I have to admit that I've never quite got my head around the relationship between the companies (there were several operating around the world) and the government back home. The BEIC effectively ran India for over a century with it's huge army and navy, but just how London benefitted from this to the extent of allowing the BEIC to become one of the most powerful "states" in the world still eludes me. I should have done economics at school. I assume shares were the main benefit.

From 1773 a series of Acts restricted the powers of the company with authority over war and expansion etc passing to Westminster. The end came with the Indian Mutiny in 1857.