Lady Christian Henrietta Caroline Acland (''née'' Fox-Strangways; 3 January 175021 July 1815) was a British noblewoman and
diarist
A diary is a writing, written or audiovisual Memorabilia, memorable record, with discrete entries arranged by Calendar date, date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. Diaries have traditionally been handwriti ...
. She accompanied her husband to
British North America
British North America comprised the colonial territories of the British Empire in North America from 1783 onwards. English colonisation of North America began in the 16th century in Newfoundland, then further south at Roanoke and Jamestown, ...
and became celebrated for her personal courage. She is commemorated on one of the bronze reliefs on second floor of the
Saratoga Monument in
the State of New York
New York, also called New York State, is a state in the northeastern United States. Bordered by New England to the east, Canada to the north, and Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south, its territory extends into both the Atlantic Ocean and ...
.
Early life
She began life as The Honourable Christian Henrietta Caroline "Harriet" Fox-Strangways, daughter of
Stephen Fox-Strangways (then
Baron Ilchester), and his wife,
the former Elizabeth Horner. When her father was raised to his earldom, Harriet became "Lady Harriet Fox-Strangways". She was born in Kilmington, Somerset and baptized in St James's, Piccadilly, London on 16 January 1750. Her second cousin was the British politician
Charles James Fox
Charles James Fox (24 January 1749 – 13 September 1806), styled ''The Honourable'' from 1762, was a British British Whig Party, Whig politician and statesman whose parliamentary career spanned 38 years of the late 18th and early 19th centurie ...
and her family was part of the
Whig aristocratic circle.
Marriage and issue
In 1770, at the age of twenty, she married by special licence
John Dyke Acland, son of
Sir Thomas Dyke Acland, 7th Baronet and Elizabeth Dyke. Upon their marriage, Sir Thomas gave the couple two Somerset estates,
Pixton in Dulverton and
Tetton near Taunton. Lady Harriet and her husband had two children:
*
Elizabeth "Kitty" Acland (13 December 1772 – 5 March 1813); married
Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Carnarvon
Colonel (United Kingdom), Colonel Henry George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Carnarvon, Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, FSA (3 June 1772 – 16 April 1833), styled The Honourable Henry Herbert from 1780 to 1793 and Lord Porchester from 17 ...
. Kitty would go on to inherit the Pixton and Tetton estates as Harriet and John's only surviving child, thus taking them out of the Acland family upon her marriage.
* Sir John Dyke Acland, 8th Baronet (1778–1785); inherited the baronetcy at the age of 7 on the death of his paternal grandfather, the 7th Baronet. Sir John died a few weeks later, aged 7, and the baronetcy passed to his uncle
Sir Thomas Dyke Acland, 9th Baronet.
American War of Independence
During the
American War of Independence
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
, Lady Harriet travelled with her husband to the
Province of Quebec
Quebec is Canada's largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, New Brunswick to the southeast and a coastal border ...
and the
Thirteen Colonies
The Thirteen Colonies were the British colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America which broke away from the British Crown in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and joined to form the United States of America.
The Thirteen C ...
when he commanded the
20th Regiment of Foot.
At the time of the
Battles of Saratoga
The Battles of Saratoga (September 19 and October 7, 1777) were two battles between the American Continental Army and the British Army fought near Saratoga, New York, concluding the Saratoga campaign in the American Revolutionary War. The seco ...
, Lady Harriet's husband John was wounded by being shot through both legs and he was captured as a prisoner of war. Lady Harriet—at this point several months pregnant—crossed the Hudson River in a boat, accompanied by her maid, a military chaplain, and John's valet, to join him in captivity and nurse him back to full health. John improved with her careful nursing. The British press, reeling from Britain's defeat in the American War of Independence, lauded her actions as brave and heroic. The next year they returned to England, where Colonel Acland died at
Pixton Park,
Dulverton
Dulverton is a town and civil parish in west Somerset, England, near the border with Devon. The town had a population of 1,408 at the 2011 Census. The parish includes the hamlets of Battleton and Ashwick which is located approximately north w ...
near
Exmoor
Exmoor () is loosely defined as an area of hilly open moorland in west Somerset and north Devon in South West England. It is named after the River Exe, the source of which is situated in the centre of the area, two miles north-west of Simons ...
on 31 October 1778.
Lady Harriet jointly authored a journal with an anonymous second author (most likely her husband's valet or a military chaplain), which was later published as The Acland Journal. The journal narrated the military expedition as Lady Harriet and her husband's company sailed from Britain and landed in Canada, ending shortly after John was captured. One of the final entries of the journal describes how "the writer of this Journal was sent with a Flag of Truce into the Enemies Camp", describing when Lady Harriet and her party joined John in captivity.
A 1784 engraving by
Robert Pollard
Robert Ellsworth Pollard Jr. (born October 31, 1957) is an American singer and songwriter. He is the frontman and leader of indie rock band Guided by Voices, which he also the band’s only constant member. In addition to this, he has also rele ...
depicting Lady Harriet Acland on the
Hudson River
The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...
is inscribed as follows:
: ''This amiable Lady accompanied her Husband to Canada in the Year 1776, & during two Campaigns, under went such fatigue & distress as female fortitude was thought incapable of supporting; and once She narrowly escaped with life from her Tent which was set on fire in the Night. The Event here commemorated deserves to be recorded in History. In the unfortunate Action between G. Burgoyne & G. Gates Oct,, 7, 1777, Major Ackland was wounded & made Prisoner, when his Lady received the news She formed the heroic Resolution of delivering herself into the hands of the Enemy that she might attend him during the Captivity For this purpose, with a Letter from G. Burgoyne to G. Gates, accompanied by the Rev. Mr. Brudinell who carried a Flag of Truce, one female servant, & her husbands Valet, she rowed down Hudsons River in an open boat towards the America Camp, but Night coming on before she reached their outposts the Guards on duty refused to receive her & threatened to fire upon her if she moved until morning In this dreadful situation for 7 or 8 dark & cold hours, she was compelled to wait on the Water half dead with anxiety & terror. The morning put an end to her distress, she was receiv'd by Gen. Gates & restored to her husband with that politeness & humanity her sex, quality, & Virtue so justly merited. / See G. Burgoynes Narrative'.''
Widowhood and death
During the long period of her widowhood, 1778–1815, Lady Harriet remained at Pixton Park, building the lane now known as Lady Harriet Acland's Drive to connect to where her daughter, Elizabeth, the Countess of Carnarvon, lived near
Wiveliscombe
Wiveliscombe (, ) is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated west of Taunton. The town has a population of 2,893. The Square, fronted by several listed structures, held the former market. The parish includes the nearby hamlet o ...
.
In 1799, Lady Harriet sold her property Charlton House, at
Creech St. Michael, Somerset, to the Coombe family.
Lady Harriet rebuilt
Tetton House in Somerset, where she died, aged 65.
References
Additional sources
* Acland, Lady Harriet. ''The Acland Journal: Lady Harriet Acland and the American Revolution''. Winchester, England: Hampshire County Council, 1993.
* ''Young Folks Cyclopedia, 1882''
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Acland, Harriet
1750 births
1815 deaths
18th-century English diarists
18th-century English women writers
19th-century English people
19th-century English women
English nurses
Female wartime nurses
People from Taunton
Daughters of British earls
Harriet
Harriet(t) may refer to:
* Harriet (name), a female name ''(includes list of people with the name)''
Places
*Harriet, Queensland, rural locality in Australia
* Harriet, Arkansas, unincorporated community in the United States
* Harriett, Texas, ...
American Revolutionary War nurses
Harriet
Harriet(t) may refer to:
* Harriet (name), a female name ''(includes list of people with the name)''
Places
*Harriet, Queensland, rural locality in Australia
* Harriet, Arkansas, unincorporated community in the United States
* Harriett, Texas, ...
British women diarists
18th-century British writers
British people of the American Revolution
Women in the American Revolution
Writers from Somerset
Writers from Wiltshire