Jere Krischel at 06:19, 11 January 2006

2006-01-11T06:19:21Z

Jere Krischel at 01:03, 12 December 2005

2005-12-12T01:03:40Z

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700 HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
touched, and also to prevent any incendiarism or anything of that
nature.
Senator GRAY. Let the people know that you were there?
Mr. YOUNG. Yes; which we had done on all occasions of that nature.
Senator BUTLER. Did you send out a detachment to patrol over the
city at any time!
Mr. YOUNG. No; no patrol beside that.
Senator BUTLER. Beside the grand guard?
Mr. YOUNG. NO.
Senator BUTLER. NO separate patrol ?
Mr. YOUNG. NO ; they were the only ones.
The CHAIRMAN. Did you post any sentinels over the city—over the
buildings?
Mr. YOUNG. None until the protectorate was declared and the flag
was raised over the Government building, when we left a marine guard
there. That was to protect the building; nothing to do outside. All
the police duty was done by the Provisional troops; all our marines remained
in the camp.
The CHAIRMAN. Where was their camp ?
Mr. YOUNG. Inside the legislative hall. They took that for their
barracks.
Senator BUTLER. What troops were those?
Mr. YOUNG. The company of marines.
Senator GRAY. They were camped in the Government building?
Mr. YOUNG. Yes.
Senator GRAY. When did they go there?
Mr. YOUNG. When they hoisted the flag. When the flag was hoisted
I have forgotten now; I think it was the 1st of February.
Senator GRAY. YOU mean the American flag over the Government
building.
Mr. YOUNG. Yes; and the staff is there still, not taken down.
The CHAIRMAN. During the time that this guard of marines remained
at the Government building, were the offices there occupied by the
Provisional Government?
Mr. YOUNG. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. Was there any guard of the Provisional Government
there ?
Mr. YOUNG. Yes; they did all the guard duty out in the yard.
The CHAIRMAN. Where did the marines do guard duty?
Mr. YOUNG. Only right there, in their own quarters. They had no
sentries out, to my recollection. There was an orderly kept in front of
the building.
The CHAIRMAN. By whose order was that flag put up at the Government
building, and on what day?
Mr. YOUNG. It was put up by the order of Capt. Wiltse, and our
men did it. There was a proclamation issued declaring a temporary
protectorate, etc., signed by the minister and approved by Capt.
Wiltse. It was read by the adjutant at the time of raising the
flag, and immediately the Boston fired 21 guns, with no flag exhibited
at the masthead. In firing a salute we always have the flag of the
nation we salute at the masthead.
The CHAIRMAN. What was the cause of firing this salute?
Mr. YOUNG. TO salute our flag.
Senator GRAY. If you had been saluting the Hawaiin Government
you would have had the Hawaiian flag at the masthead?
Mr. YOUNG. Yes.
HAWAIIAN ISLAND* 701
The CHAIRMAN. At the time you fired this salute there was a protectorate
proclaimed?
Mr. YOUNG. Yes; a temporary one.
The CHAIRMAN. Signed by the minister and approved by Capta in
Wiltse?
Mr. YOUNG. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. And read to the troops at Camp Boston ?
Mr. YOUNG. NO; we left Camp Boston at 8:30 and were drawn up
in line at the Government building when the flag was hoisted.
The CHAIRMAN. What day was that?
Mr. YOUNG. The 1st of February. There were Provisional troops
that flanked our troops on the left and rear.
Senator BUTLER. DO you know whether Capt. Wiltse reserved a
copy of that proclamation?
Mr. YOUNG. Undoubtedly. It would be in his letter book.
The CHAIRMAN. DO you remember the substance of the proclamation?
Mr. YOUNG. I have forgotten exactly how it started, but the gist
was " Hereby declare a temporary protectorate over the Hawaiian Islands,
pending negotiations in Washington."
The CHAIRMAN. Was there any change in or withdrawal of that
proclamation between that time and the time that Mr. Blount directed
the troops to go aboard ship ?
Mr. YOUNG. None at all; remained in that situation until Mr. Blount
ordered the troops aboard ship and ordered Admiral Skerrett to haul
down the flag.
The CHAIRMAN. What was the state of the public mind during this
period of the occupancy by the United States troops from the time the
flag was raised until it was withdrawn? I speak now in respect of the
arrangement of the people there—whether there was any excitement or
irregularity.
Mr. YOUNG. While it was hoisted there was no irregularity or disturbance,
nor did I hear any but favorable comment about it.
The CHAIRMAN. What do you estimate, or do you know anything
about it, the military strength of the Provisional Government at the
time thai flag was ordered returned on board ship by Mr. Blount?
Mr. YOUNG. They had 100 men under pay; they had an artillery company
of 60 men, volunteers; they had two companies of volunteers,
consisting of about 30 men to the company, and then they had what
they called a home guard. That was composed of the leading citizens
all around town, divided up into corporals' squads, and each squad had
its rendezvous at different places in the city. The man in command
of them showed me his books and he had 400 names on them.
Senator BUTLER. That was the home guard?
Mr. YOUNG. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. Was the home guard armed ?
Mr. YOUNG. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. Taking the whole mass together, what would be the
whole number of the armed forces?
Mr. YOUNG. I should say, between 700 and 800.
The CHAIRMAN. Was there any artillery ?
Mr. YOUNG. Yes; four pieces of artillery, breech-loaders, and also four
Austrian guns.
The CHAIRMAN. Any others?
Mr. Y'OUNG. Two short Gatling.
Senator BUTLER. NO horses, I suppose, for the battery?

Template:700-701 - Revision history

Jere Krischel at 06:19, 11 January 2006

Jere Krischel at 01:03, 12 December 2005