Edward Acton (Royal Navy officer)

For other people named Edward Acton, see Edward Acton (disambiguation).

Edward Acton (died 1707) was a captain in the Royal Navy, distinguished for services rendered to his country in the reign of Queen Anne. He was the only son of William Acton, of Buildwas, fifth son of Sir Edward Acton, 1st Baronet.

In Sir George Rooke's vigorous and intrepid attack of Gibraltar, he commanded the HMS Kingston, one of the battleships which had been brought to bear against that formidable fortress.

Under the same enterprising and successful chief, Acton took part in the Battle of Malaga (1704); but in this encounter, as well as in that of the preceding, aspersions had been cast upon his conduct. Indeed in those days, no less than in later times, calumny but too often succeeded in detracting from the merits of the brave. Fortunately, however, for Acton, and others who underwent the same ordeal, the equitable decision of a court martial silenced slander and exposed the fabrications of an envious faction—a political party which sought to disparage the achievements of Rook. Of every charge which had been alleged against him, he was fully and honourably acquitted.