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Major John Dyke Acland: Honored Even by Our Enemies
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Author: Donald L. Hafner |
Date Published: The Dispatch, November 2001 |
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Major John Dyke Acland was one of those well-born British officers who brought his wife with him when his 20th Regiment of Foot joined Gen. John Burgoyne’s army, in the campaign that was intended to cut New England off from the other colonies and bring an end to the American rebellion.
An aristocrat from an ancient family, a member of Parliament, and barely thirty years old, Major Acland was instinctively an unreconstructed Tory. In the last, decisive battle leading to Burgoyne’s surrender at Saratoga in October, 1777, Acland was wounded in both legs and captured by the Americans. His wife was frantic with anxiety and prevailed on Burgoyne for a letter of passage to General Gates, the American commander, so she could join her husband in the American hospital. Burgoyne later remarked: “I was astonished at the proposal. After so long an agitation of the spirits, exhausted not only for want of rest, but absolute want of food, drenched in rain for twelve hours, that a woman should be capable of delivering herself to an enemy, probably in the night and uncertain into what hands she might fall, appeared an effort above human virtue.”
That Lady Harriet Acland was quite young, and very pregnant, no doubt added to Burgoyne’s astonishment. When she arrived at the American encampment, she found her husband in good care and good spirits, and they were both accorded great courtesy by the Americans for three months while he recuperated.
A year later, after he had returned to Britain, Major Acland took umbrage at insulting remarks made by another British officer about American soldiers. Acland challenged the officer to a duel — and died of the wound he received on the dueling field. Madame Riedesel, also in Burgoyne’s company, remarked of Acland that he “was a rough fellow who was drunk almost every day, but nevertheless, a brave officer. ” And honorable.
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About the Author:
Donald L. Hafner is Drum Major of the Lincoln Minute Men. When he is not serving as a fifer in the ranks of the Minute Men, he is a Professor
of Political Science at Boston College. His scholarly work has been principally in the fields of arms control and U.S. foreign policy.
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