Colonel John Dyke Acland

Colonel John Dyke Acland (18 February 1746 – 31 October 1778 [1]), of Tetton and Pixton in Somerset, was Tory Member of Parliament for Callington in Cornwall[2] and fought in the American War of Independence in 1776.

General Notes:

Educated at Eton and University College, Oxford. In October 1774 was elected M.P. for the Cornish borough of Callingotn. He added his voice to the call for tough measures against the American colonies and urged the prime minister, Lord North, not to concede to the right of taxation to the colonies. After puchasing his entry into the 33rd Foot as ensign, advancing to Captain in 1775. Accompanied by his wife, he sailed for America from Ireland in April 1776, having bought a major's commission in the 20th foot.

Acland proved to be a valiant soldier and was wounded at Hubbardton on 7 July 1777. He was in the advance party in General Burgoyne's attack on the American forces at Bemis Heights on the Hudson River when he was wounded in the legs and captured on 7 October 1777. In one of the most romantic episodes of the war, Lady Harriet crossed the Hudson at night and successfully petitioned General Gates to allow her to nurse Acland back to health. The couple remained in American captivity until early 1778, when Acland was released on parole; they returned to England, where their second child, John, was baptized on 21 March. Warmly praised for his actions by George III at a personal audience, Acland spent the next few months recuperating at his estate at Pixton.

Medical Notes:

A quarrel with Lieutenant Lloyd provoked Acland into challenging Lloyd to a duel, which was fought on Bampton Down. Neither was injured, but Acland caught a chill and died from the resulting fever on 22 November 1778 at Pixton Park.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dyke_Acland
• http://www.holmesacourt.org/hac/5/13431.htm
• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Aug 19 2016, 6:24:24 UTC