Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-05

home. exiled to n desolate island Of
the sea Such was the reward Of
King Charles to an ovcr-J Jealous advo-
cate OF ropublicnnism
>Gcnernl Overton's letters. many OF
Hn"hich are In print among the Thur
100 papers show his disintercstcd de-
votion to his cause IF | be called"
he wrote In 1854. ITO seal the cause of
COO ana my country with my blood By
suffering death. or By bearing any tes-
tlmonY TO tho interests OF my nation
ana the despised truths of these times,
tie Is able to support and save me, as
the sun TO shine upon me IL
l can but keep faith ard a good con-
/ science. shall assurediy finish my
| course with JOY"
Regarding Overton's career, l have
extracted from the Dictionary Of Ma
tlonal Biography the following:
oVerton. Robert tiourshcd 1640-
1869. soldier, son of John Overton, OF
Easinston in Holderness. York shire;
born about 1909. was admitted TO Grays
Inn on LIST of November, 1881 At the
beginning OF the Civil War he took up
arms for the Parliament. served under
the Fairfaxcs. and distinguished him
self In the defense OF Hull and at tho
battle or Marston Moon. In August
1645, when Parliament made Sir
Thomas Fairfax Governor OF Ponte-
tract, he appointed Colonel date major
generaD Orcrton his deputy. In Sop.
TENDER Ovcrton reduced Sandal Castle
Ferd!nnndo Lord Fairfax urged his son
| 10 find command for Ovcrton in tho
.. regular army, but Sir Thomas, while
expressing his desire TO bring SO de-
serving man into the army" was
not able to do so till the summer Of
l647. About July. 1647, Overton sue
ceeded TO the command of the foot
regiment. late Colonel Herbert's. and
shortly afterwards became also gov
~ Ttll
Mayor and corporation Of Hull pctl-
toned for his removal. but Fairfax
strongly supported him, and he was
also backed by section Of the towns
men. In the second Civil War Over
tons regiment fought under Cromwell
In Wales and in the North. while it's
colonel guarded Hull and drove the
cavaliers out of the Isle of Axholme.
Overton took no part in the Kings
trial, but thoroughly approved Of that
measure. AS early as February. 1913
he had expressed the view that 1t would
be happy thing il God would please
TO disposscss the King "of three
trans!tory Kingdoms TO infeon him in
an eternal one" (Fairfax correspon-
dence) Both his regiment and the
garrison OF Hull sent addresses in sup
port of the army leaders: but Over
ton clearly disagreed on several points
with the policy of the new govern
Cromwell TO Scotland, commanded a
brigade of foot at the battle OF Dun
bar, and was made governor OF Edin-
burgh after its occupation by Crom-
well. His regiment formed part Of
tho force sent over the Fife in July
1901. and he commanded the reserve
at the victory of Inverkcithing. Re-
naming with Monck in Scotland when
Cromwell followed Charles II. into
England. Overton helped to complete
the subjugation Of Scotland. and COM
manded an expedition which reduced
and garrisoned the Orkneys On the
l4th OF May. 1862. Parliament voted
| him 40of year In Scottish lands as
reward for his services When
Deane. Monck's successor. was recalled
from Scotland, he appointed Ovcrton TO
command all the English forces in the
west of that country. 1t was to Over
ton. as Governor of Aberdeen, that Sir
Alexander Irvine appealed when he
was accommodated by the prcsbytery
| of Aberdeen.
IN 1853 OVerton, who had now sue
ceeded to the family estate at Easing
| ton. returned TO England and again
became Governor OF Hull. Deeply en-
hued with the views of tho fifth mon
archy men and dissatisfied with the
slow progress of the work of reforma-
ton under the rule OF the Parliament
he hailed with enthusiasm CROMWELL
| forcible dissolution OF that body He
| wrote a once to Cromwell approving
the act and promising his support and
that OF his garrison. But the disso-
luton OF tho little Parliament and the
| assumption by Cromwell OF the post OF
/ protector filed him with doubts and
| suspicious. He declared his dissatis-
| faction to Cromwell telling him that
| II nc SAW he did design to set up him.
sef and not the good OF the nation,
| he would not set one foot before an
other to serve him. Thou vert n
knavc If thou wouldst." answered
Cromwell; and in the end. Overton re-
tanned his commission on the promise
| to deliver 1t UP when he could not
| consc!cntiously serve tho protector any
| longer. In September, 1854. he return
| ed TO his command in Scotland. but in
| December was arrested and sent pris-
oner 10 England on the charge OF In
| tending TO head a military insurrec-
| ton against the government.
Overton's own indiScreet conduct in
sanctioning meetings OF the disaffect-
ed officers under his command certain
| ly gave ground for suspicion. Charles
H., wrote 10 him to promise forgive
ness for past disloyalty and reward for
service in effecting n restoration. Ii is
not surprising that he was believed
to be guilty. but an examination Of the
evidence leads TO the conclusion shat
he was innocent. After about two
SSoio A|Soto iinpi lSONIItnt IN the
Tower. he was transported to Jersey
and confined in Elizabeths Castle
there till March. 1858.
On Sd February. 65s. Qverton's Sis
ter pet!tioned Richard Cromwell's
Parliament on behalf Of her brother,
and that body ordered that his case
should be tried in London. On March
IS. after hearing Overton, 1t voted his
immediate release. and pronounced his
imprisonment at Jersey illegal.
Tho fall OF Richard Cromwell and the
restoration of the Long Parliament
was followed by the redress of Over
toms wrongs. He was one of the sew
en- commissioners in whom Parliament.
on October IL. 1859. vested the govern
ment OF the army. But Overtop tried
to Illustrate Monck's design for bring
ing back the King and undoubtedly in
tended TO make a last stand for the
republic. He was again arrested and