All times in UTC ·
Dashed edge = started before, or continues beyond, this day
Events on Friday 24 June 1859 1
1859Battle of SolferinoBloody Franco-Sardinian victory over AustriaFranco-Sardinian forces defeated the Austrian army near Solferino in one of the largest battles fought in Europe since Leipzig. The carnage witnessed by Swiss businessman Henry Dunant directly inspired his campaign that led to the founding of the Red Cross. Roughly 300,000 troops took part and casualties exceeded 30,000.