Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Blood, Holcroft
BLOOD, HOLCROFT (1660?–1707), general, was the son of the famous Colonel Thomas Blood [q. v.], and was born about 1660. When only a stripling he, unknown to his father, went to sea, and served in the Dutch war of 1672. Some years afterwards he became a cadet in the French guards, where he began to study the art of engineering. Return in to England he served as captain in the Irish campaigns after the revolution of 1688, and was wounded at the siege of Carrickfergus. Some time afterwards he was accused of robbing a postboy of some letters that came from Spain, but after a trial at the Old Bailey he was acquitted. The incident, indeed, turned out rather to his advantage than otherwise; for the king, convinced of his innocence, and having a high opinion of his abilities, secured his promotion, Erst as major and soon afterwards as lieutenant-colonel. He did great service as an engineer at the siege of Namur in 1695, and becoming, in 1703, colonel of a regiment of the train of artillery, he manœuvred it with so much skill at Hochstädt, and in other important actions, as to acquire the reputation of being one of the ablest engineers in Europe. In reward of his brilliant services he was promoted brigadier-general. He died at Brussels 30 Aug. 1707.
[Compleat History of Europa for the year 1707, pp. 477–8; Le Neve's Monumenta.]
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.30
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
| Page | Col. | Line | |
| 232 | ii | 1 | Blood, Holcroft: after brigadier-general insert From 1703 till his death he was colonel of the 17th foot |