A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Acland, Lady Harriet
ACLAND, LADY HARRIET,
Wife of Major Acland, an officer in that portion of the British army in America under the command of General Burgoyne, accompanied her husband to America in 1776, and was with him during the disastrous campaign of 1777, which terminated in Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga. Accustomed as she was to every luxury, she shrank from no hardship or danger, while allowed to remain with her husband; and her gentleness and conciliatory manners often softened the bitterness of political animosity.
Major Acland being taken prisoner at the battle of Saratoga, Lady Harriet determined to join him; and obtaining from Burgoyne a note, commending her to the protection of General Gates, she set out in an open boat, during a violent storm, accompanied by the Rev. Mr. Brudenell, a chaplain in the British army, her own maid and her husband's valet, to the American camp. Here she was kindly received, and allowed to join her husband. After Major Acland's return to England, he was killed in a duel, caused by his resenting some aspersions cast on the bravery of the British soldiers in America; and the shock of his death deprived Lady Harriet of her reason for two years. She afterwards married the same Mr. Brudenell who had accompanied her to the camp of General Gates. Lady Harriet outlived her second husband many years, and died at a very advanced age in 1815.
Shortly before her death, it was discovered that for sixteen years she had suffered from a cancer, which she had concealed from her nearest relatives in order to spare their anxiety.
In a work by Madame de Riedesel, who was also at the battle of Saratoga, (her husband. Major de Biedesel, was one of the German officers employed by the English government in the war against the American colonies,) she makes this mention of the subject of our memoir:—
"Lady Acland's tent was near ours. She slept there, and spent the day in the camp. On a sudden, she received the news that her husband was mortally wounded, and taken prisoner. She was greatly distressed} for she was much attached to him, though he was rude and intemperate; yet a good officer. She was a very lovely woman. And lovely in mind, as in person."