Jere Krischel at 05:47, 11 January 2006

2006-01-11T05:47:46Z

Jere Krischel at 01:03, 12 December 2005

2005-12-12T01:03:17Z

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696 HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
protect life and property. He remarked to the captain that he need
not apprehend any danger of being fired upon, because nothing of the
kind had ever been done under any circumstances. After a few minutes
Capt. Wiltse turned to him and said, "I have decided to land
the troops already, and I will land them at 4 o'clock; they are all ready
to land, and here is an order I have written to the commanding officer,
Lieut-Commander Swinburn." The order was taken almost bodily
from the confidential letter to Captain "Wiltse.
Then one of the officers present made the remark, "Captain, in case
there is a change in the situation and we should be attacked by any
one of the contending parties how far are these orders to extend; what
shall we do under such circumstances'?" Capt. Wiltse then supplemented
his written order by the verbal statement, " The situation is
such that it will require a great deal of judgment on the part of you
officers who are going on shore; you have been here a number of months,
and know all the Americans and their property; that is what I wrant
to protect, and 1 want you to be careful and remain as neutral as you
can." Those were the oral instructigns. Mr. Stevens then made the
remark, " I am very glad you are going to land them, because I think
it is absolutely necessary." Mr. Stevens then left the vessel and
returned to the shore.
The CHAIRMAN. HOW far from the coast was the Boston at that time?
Mr. YOUNG. About a half mile. We were anchored, moored, at least,
in what is known as the Naval row in the harbor.
The CHAIRMAN. Did you change the position of the ship?
Mr. YOUNG. No, not at all: she remained in the same position all the
time.
The CHAIRMAN. Were the guns trained on the city in any way?
Mr. YOUNG. No.
The CHAIRMAN. When you came out how many boats did it require
to bring your men, the whole detachment?
Mr. YOUNG. We could have brought them in fewer boats; but we
divided them in platoons, and each platoon took a boat.
The CHAIRMAN. HOW many boats did it take?
Mr. YOUNG. Four companies making 8 platoons, and each platoon
had a boat.
The CHAIRMAN. Were they landed in a body?
Mr. YOUNG. Yes, they formed immediately on getting on shore with
the artillery in the rear.
The CHAIRMAN. Who was in command?
Mr. YOUNG. Lieut. Commander Swinburn, the executive officer of
the ship.
The CHAIRMAN. Where was the company ordered to go?
Mr YOUNG. We had no definite point at all. We landed at Brewer's
wharf, and marched up to the corner of Fort and Merchant streets,
where the consul general's office was, and there left a marine company,
which was to protect the American legation and consulate. The rest
of the battalion turned and marched down King street in front of the
palace, and as we passed the palace the Queen was standing on the
balcony, when we gave her the royal salute by drooping the colors and
four ruffles on the drums. We passed the palace 250 yards, and there
waited until we could find some place to go into camp. We made an
effort at first to get the old armory near the landing, so as to be near
our base of supplies and throw out pickets in case of emergency. But
we failed to get that, and then tried to get the opera house. They were
the only two buildings near the center of the town, and not being able
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 697
to get them we went to the yard of a white man named Atherton, and
there we bivouacked under the trees in the rain until 9.30 p. in, when
the aid to Capt. Wiltse reported they had secured a little hall in the
rear of the opera house, known as Arion Hall, which is used as a Mormon
temple now, I believe. We marched there and went into camp.
Senator GRAY. Inside the building?
Mr. YOUNG. Inside the building; yes. And the yard was turned
over to us also. I was detailed as officer of the day, and stationed
my pickets and guards around inside the inclosure and not out. I then
patroled myself in front the opera house, where I could get a view of
the vicinity of the fortified police station and center of the city along
King street and the cross street cutting in at Palace Place, also the
vicinity of the Government barracks across the Palace Square, the
approaches to the armory occupied by the revolutionary forces, and
the grounds surrounding the Government buildings. I sent out men to
get all the information that I could. I know that when we inarched
through town I never saw a policeman; but when I went outside to get
men to obtain information for me, 1 was informed that the police to the
number of about 80 were fortified in the station house, and 60 troops
were in the barracks, all under arms, and afraid to come out.
The CHAIRMAN. The Queen's troops ?
Mr. YOUNG. The Queen's troops. And there was nobody out on
the streets to protect any one, to prevent incendiarism and pilfering.
I had a full view down King street and of the approaches to this police
station; also to the heart of the town down the other street, which puts
in there from Fort street.
Senator BUTLER. Did you carry your artillery with you ?
Mr. YOUNG. It was all in the park. From there I had a view down
to the police station; and across here [indicating on diagram] I could
see. Here [indicating] is the armory; that [indicating] is where the
barracks are, where the Government troops were; they were stationed
principally in the palace grounds. I heard them drilling all night
long, giving orders. I could see across this square [indicating], and
across this place here [indicating]. I could control down there [indicating].
There were 2 alarms during the night, fire alarms of an incendiary
nature, and I called out the guards ready for action till I got
information they were not needed. I sent off a courier to find out what
this fire was, and finding it was not American property I made no fur
ther move, but returned the guard to their quarters.
The CHAIRMAN. HOW far away from the camp were those fires ?
Mr. Y OUNG. One on Emma square, which is about two squares off;
the other on Beretania street, about a mile off. I have no doubt that
the drawing up of the guard inspired confidence among the people.
The Government troops were 80 and 60, and those were all the troops
they ever had at any time. Mr. Wilson showed me a statement where
he claimed that he had 800 men. I told him that I had been informed by
participants, and I had verified their statements, that he had only 80
and 60, and he laughed and told me of course he had not that number;
but he had appointed a number of men around town as spies, who gave
information, and he knew a lot of Kanakas he could call in to make
up the number. He never had but 80 and 60 under his command.
Senator FRYE Of the Queen's guard and police ?
Mr. YOUNG. Queen's guard and police. At the same time there were
175 men under arms of the volunteer force. They were quartered in
the appointed rendezvous on Emma street and at the old armory, and
50 more dowu at the other rendezvous on Nuuana avenue.

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Jere Krischel at 05:47, 11 January 2006

Jere Krischel at 01:03, 12 December 2005