Jere Krischel at 05:40, 11 January 2006

2006-01-11T05:40:45Z

Jere Krischel at 01:03, 12 December 2005

2005-12-12T01:03:08Z

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694 HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
ment could not under any circumstances protect life and property, and
that he felt that he would have to land the troops. He asked me how
long I would be before I could land two Gatling guns and two 37 revolv
ing cannon. I told him, a half hour. He said, very well, and told me
to look around and see that everything was all right, "I think I will
have to land the troops." I remarked to him, " I think they should
have landed the evening before from what I heard," and he said he did
not want to do it until it was necessary. I got one Gatling gun and
one 37 E. C. and a caisson of ammunition all ready to land.
Shortly afterward I was sent for by Capt. Wiltse, and Capt. Wiltse
always took me in his confidence in pretty nearly everything he
did. He closed his door and read me his confidential letter of instructions
from the Department and also from Admiral Brown. We discussed
the matter, and he stated under the circumstances—he wanted
to discuss the matter with me—1 made the remark that in case we
landed we would have to be very careful or we would be accused of
taking part with one side or the other.
The CHAIRMAN. The letter from the Department of which you speak
was from the Navy Department!
Mr. YOUNG. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. Where was Admiral Brown1?
Mr. YOUNG. Admiral Brown was on the San Francisco and in command
of that station at the time of delivering his instructions.
The CHAIRMAN. Where was Admiral Brown at the time?
Mr. BROWN. I think Norfolk, Va., at the time. When he left
Honolulu he left instructions with Captain Wiltse, as the admiral in
command of the station, to be followed out in his absence.
The CHAIRMAN. These papers were read to you1?
Mr. YOUNG. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. Have you any copies of them ?
Mr. YOUNG. NO.
The CHAIRMAN. Would the ship's papers show copies of them?
Mr. YOUNG. NO, they were not in Capt. Wiltse's letter book. They
are of a confidential nature and were kept locked up in a separate
drawer. They could be found in the Department, I suppose, with the
official papers of the ship.
The CHAIRMAN. Can you remember the instructions of the Navy
Department to Capt. Wiltse?
Mr. YOUNG. They are extracts from the confidential instructions
that were sent to Minister Stevens.
The CHAIRMAN. By whom?
Mr. YOUNG. By the State Department. I do not remember the gist
of them. We discussed the landing more than we did the paper. My
recollection is that the paper stated that you will use every means and
endeavor to act in concert with the minister to preserve and protect
our treaty rights with the Sandwith Islands, even if necessary to use
force. My recollection is that is about the gist of it.
The CHAIRMAN. NOW, the instructions given by Admiral Brown?
Mr. YOUNG. Simply a memorandum of the instructions of a similar
nature, and also to land the forces once a week for drill and exercise;
that they had permission from the Government to land the men under
arms for that purpose?
The CHAIRMAN. At Honolulu ?
Mr. YOUNG. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. Had there been drills of that kind!
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 695
Mr YOUNG. Every week. We landed once a week on the perraission
of the Government and used the baseball grounds. They drilled
there often, and a great many people came down to see them, it
seemed to be a kind of pleasure to the inhabitants of the cfty when
things were favorable. We had one of the best battalions I have ever
The CHAIRMAN. What is the strength?
Mr. YOUNG. Three companies of blue jackets, one of artillery, ana
one of marines, making 154 all told, and about 10 officers.
Senator BUTLER. How many marines!
Mr. YOUNG. Thirty-two marines, I think.
The CHAIRMAN. What time did you leave ship?
Mr. YOUNG. About 5 o'clock—I suppose about a quarter of 5. We
were ordered to land at 4, and our battalion was gotten together
immediately after dinner, which was between 12 and 1. That was Monday,
the 10th. On Saturday the Legislature was prorogued; on Sunday
the agitation was kept up, and on Sunday night the volunteer
forces around town began to arm.
Senator BUTLER. Were you on shore then ?
Mr. YOUNG. Yes, sir; on Saturday and Saturday night. They met
at two rendezvous, 1 was informed, one on Emma street and the other
on Nuuana avenue.
Senator FRYE. They were the Provisional Government's volunteers?
Mr. YOUNG. I never heard of any Provisional Government or intimation
of it until Monday morning.
Senator FRYE. They were the whites?
Mr. YOUNG. They were the whites armed, as I understood, to protect
themselves against the promulgation of the new constitution, which
constitution, I was told, deprived them of all rights and franchises.
Senator GRAY. Were you present at those rendezvous?
Mr. YOUNG. NO; I was told about it by informants, and after by
participants.
The CHAIRMAN. I want to know if any troops left the ship before the
detachment which you commanded.
Mr. YOUNG. NO; we lauded in a body.
The CHAIRMAN. You went first?
Mr. YOUNG. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. That was 5 o'clock in the evening?
Mr. YOUNG. Five o'clock in the evening. We got the men armed
and equipped for heavy marching order—knapsacks and double belts
of cartridges holding from GO to 80 rounds. And I had the caisson
filled, taking in all about 14,000 rounds of caliber .45 for the rifle and
gatling, 1,200 rounds of caliber .38 for the revolvers, and 174 common
explosive shells for the revolving cannon. Each one of these belts carried
from 60 to 80 rounds. About 3 o'clock Minister Stevens came on
board and was in consultation with Capt. Wiltse. The captain sent for
the officers going with the battalion, and had a conference in his cabin.
The CHAIRMAN. Did you hear it?
Mr. YOUNG. Yes. Minister Stevens told the captain that there was
a very large massmeeting that afternoon in the old armory on Beretania
street, and they had agreed to support the report made by the committee
of safety to abrogate the monarchy; and that there was a
counter mass-meeting held by low whites and Kanakas in Palace Square,
whose action indicated an opposition to them, and that these things
indicated that trouble was to take place; that the committee of safety
through him had asked Capt. Wiltse if he would land the troops to

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Jere Krischel at 05:40, 11 January 2006

Jere Krischel at 01:03, 12 December 2005