{{Short description|Irish soldier}} {{more citations needed|date=July 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox military person | name = John Blossett | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | allegiance = [[United Kingdom]] | service_years = 1798–1817 | rank = [[Colonel]] | unit = [[10th Foot]] | battles = {{tree list}} * [[Nine Years' War]] ** [[Glorious Revolution]] * [[Colombian War of Independence]] {{tree list/end}} | birth_date = <!--{{birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}}--> | birth_place = [[Ireland]] | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date then birth date) --> | death_place = | relations = [[Ethel Lavenu]] (granddaughter) }}
Colonel '''John Blossett''' was an Irish soldier who led the second [[British Legions|British Legion]] to aid [[Simon Bolivar]] in the [[South American wars of independence|wars of independence]] against [[Spain]].
Born in [[Ireland]], the great-grandson of [[Huguenot]] [[Brigadier-General]] [[Salomon Blosset de Loche]] who had assisted [[William III of England|William of Orange]] in the taking of the [[British Crown]] in 1688, Blossett entered the British Army in 1798, serving in the [[10th Foot]] 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 [[Simon Bolivar]] as leader of the British expedition to assist him in the war of independence, taking over from General [[James Towers English]].<ref>[https://www.irlandeses.org/dilab_englishjt.htm 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.]], and grandson, [[Tyrone Power]], were both famous actors.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.simon-bolivar.org/bolivar/rebelion_britanica.htm El motín de la Legión Británica] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011193920/http://www.simon-bolivar.org/bolivar/rebelion_britanica.htm |date=11 October 2008 }} (The Mutiny of the British Legion)
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Blossett, John}} [[Category:1821 deaths]] [[Category:Duelling fatalities]] [[Category:Irish people of French descent]] [[Category:Royal Lincolnshire Regiment officers]] [[Category:People of the Spanish American wars of independence]] [[Category:Power family]] [[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
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