Colonel John Blossett was an Irish soldier who led the second

British Legion The Royal British Legion (RBL), formerly the British Legion, is a British charity providing financial, social and emotional support to members and veterans of the British Armed Forces, their families and dependants, as well as all others in ne ...

to aid

Simon Bolivar Simon may refer to: People * Simon (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name Simon * Simon (surname), including a list of people with the surname Simon * Eugène Simon, French naturalist and the genus ...

in the

wars of independence This is a list of wars of independence (also called liberation wars). These wars may or may not have been successful in achieving a goal of independence. List See also * Lists of active separatist movements * List of civil wars * List of o ...

against

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. Born in

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, the great-grandson of

Huguenot The Huguenots ( , also , ) were a religious group of French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, the Genevan burgomaster Be ...

Brigadier-General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

Salomon Blosset de Loche who had assisted William of Orange in the taking of the

British Crown The Crown is the state (polity), state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their subdivisions (such as the Crown Dependencies, British Overseas Territories, overseas territories, Provinces and territorie ...

in 1688, Blossett entered the British Army in 1798, serving in the

10th Foot The Royal Lincolnshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army raised on 20 June 1685 as the Earl of Bath's Regiment for its first Colonel, John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath. In 1751, it was numbered like most other Army regiments ...

and rising to the level of captain in 1814 and major at the time of his discharge from the army in 1817. In 1819 Blossett was awarded the rank of colonel by

as leader of the British expedition to assist him in the war of independence, taking over from General

James Towers English James Towers English (22 February 1782 – 26 September 1819) was an Anglo-Irish commander of British Legions forces in the Spanish American wars of independence. James Towers English was the son of a well-to-do Dublin merchant. He went into busi ...

.Dictionary of Irish Latin American Biography
/ref> Having fought a number of duels throughout his career Blossett was fatally shot by Colonel Power whilst on the expedition in South America. His granddaughter was the actress Ethel Lavenu, whose son

Tyrone Power Sr. Frederick Tyrone Edmond Power Sr. (2 May 1869 – 23 December 1931) was an English-born American stage and screen actor, known professionally as Tyrone Power. He is now usually referred to as Tyrone Power Sr. to differentiate him from his son ...

and grandson

Tyrone Power Tyrone Edmund Power III (May 5, 1914 – November 15, 1958) was an American actor. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Power appeared in dozens of films, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads. His better-known films include '' Jesse James'', ...

were both famous actors.

References

External links

El motín de la Legión Británica
(The Mutiny of the British Legion) 1821 deaths Duelling fatalities Irish people of French descent Royal Lincolnshire Regiment officers People of the Spanish American wars of independence Power family Year of birth unknown {{UK-mil-bio-stub