700-701

From TheMorganReport
Revision as of 05:45, 11 December 2005 by Jere Krischel (talk | contribs)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Previous Page Next Page

Reports of Committee on Foreign Relations 1789-1901 Volume 6 pp700-701 300dpi scan (VERY LARGE!)

Text Only


-p700-

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.

-p701-

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 Captain 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 that 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. Young. Two short Gatling.

Senator Butler. No horses, I suppose, for the battery?


Previous Page Next Page