Francis Grosvenor Hood

The Hon. Francis Grosvenor Hood (1809–1855) was an English army officer in the British Army, rising to the rank of lieutenant-colonel of the Grenadier Guards. He led, as major, the 3rd Battalion of Grenadiers at the Battle of the Alma in 1854. He was killed in the trenches before Sebastopol in 1855. Origins Francis Grosvenor Hood, born on 4 March 1809, was the second son of Lieutenant-colonel Francis Wheler Hood, son of Henry, 2nd Viscount Hood, and grandson of Samuel, 1st Viscount. His mother was Caroline (died 11 March 1858), only daughter of Sir Andrew Snape Hamond. His father was killed when in his thirty-third year, on the heights of Aire, on 2 March 1814, and was, in the words of Wellington, "an officer of great promise and merit". Career Francis joined the Grenadier Guards in 1827, was promoted to his lieutenancy and captaincy in 1830, became captain and lieutenant-colonel on 31 December 1841, and on 27 June 1854 was gazetted major of the 3rd Battalion of the Grenadiers. Hood proceeded with the 3rd Battalion to the Crimea, and led it at the Battle of the Alma on 20 September 1854, when his conspicuous gallantry and judgment contributed most effectively to the defeat of the Russian counter-attack, and he received the special thanks of the commander-in-chief.