Wilcox Rebellion of 1889
Encyclopedia
The Wilcox Rebellion of 1889 (also known as the Wilcox Insurrection of 1889) was a revolt led by Robert Wilcox
to force King Kalākaua of Hawaii to reenact the Hawaiian Constitution of 1864
from the Constitution of 1887
.
Robert Wilcox returned to Hawaii from San Francisco at the request of Princess Liliuokalani and stayed at her Palama residence He organized another rebellion that took place on July 30, 1889 to revive the powers of the monarch by forcing King Kalākaua to reinstate the Constitution of 1864
. Wilcox let Robert N. Boyd in on the plot, Boyd was a friend of Wilcox from his academy in Italy. Wilcox and Boyd recruited 150 Hawaiians, Europeans and Chinese to form the Liberal Patriotic Association, which used a rifle club front
called the “Kamehameha Rifles”. Chinese businessmen who lost rights under the Bayonet Constitution supported his plot and provided funding for weapons. Each rebel was bought a red shirt uniform inspired by Giuseppe Garibaldi's
Redshirt volunteers, whom Wilcox admired.
was forced on Kalakaua by the Honolulu Rifles
a paramilitary group loyal to the Reform Party. The constitution was extremely unpopular to most people affected or not, and disenfranchised many. The voting restrictions led the Reform Party to win the legislature
in the 1887 elections on September 12, that year.
left Kalakaua mainly a figurehead and gave the legislature most of the power. Hearing of the Rebellion he believed it was another attempt to oust him and avoided the palace. He move to a secret location, his boathouse so that he could escape by sea if necessary, with an armed escort of twelve guards.
and Kapuaiwa. The Redshirts aimed two captured heavy cannons at the palace where 30 Royal Guard were stationed. Lt. R. P. Waipa, commander of the 30 guards, refused to surrender. King Kalākaua was aware of the rebellion and had avoided the palace, fearing it was a new plot to overthrow him. The Reform Party alerted to the rebellion sent the Honolulu Rifles under the command of Colonel Ashford and three cannons to suppress this revolt. Ashford was a Canadian immigrant who had come to Hawaii to join his brother. The Rifles took up positions in nearby buildings, notably the Opera House and fired on the rebels. Snipers were stationed in the Kawaiahaʻo Church clock tower.
One of the cannons was turned and opened fire on the Opera House at close range, but the gun was also well within range of the riflemen and the crews were forced to abandon their cannons. The Redshirts were driven into surrounding buildings where they exchanged fire with the Honolulu Rifles. The Royal Guard at the palace maintained neutrality during the battle under Kalākaua's orders not to fire unless the rebels tried to enter the palace. Members of the Honolulu Rifles felt this to be an act of collaboration. There were fears that the 2nd Battalion Hawaiian Volunteers stationed at Iolani Barracks commanded by Maj.
Samuel Nowlein (where the cannons were taken from without a struggle) who were sympathetic toward the rebels might even desert and join the battle with Wilcox, but this did not happen. Liliuokalani had gone to the guardsmen before the battle and ordered them to remain neutral during the fight. Shortly after noon the surrounding buildings were cleared of Wilcox’s men, including the twelve men in Aliiōlani Hale
, leaving only the palace grounds and the buildings on it in rebel hands. Later on the Rifles used grenadiers with sticks of dynamite
to attack the Palace Bungalow, then a Redshirts stronghold. They threw the dynamite over the walls encompassing the palace grounds. The explosions blew open the roof of the Palace Bungalow killing and wounding rebels. Shortly after the explosion Wilcox and his men surrendered.
from the USS Adams
patrolled the streets of Honolulu for a week. Most rebels received one-year imprisonments. Wilcox was tried for treason, and acquitted by an all-Hawaiian jury. Lieutenant Albert Loomens, unlike Wilcox, was tried by an all-white jury for being a Belgian and only pure Caucasian of the Liberal Patriotic Association. Albert Loomens was the only one found guilty of his role in the rebellion and sentenced to be hanged, the punishment was later reduced to being exile
d from Hawaii. The 2nd Battalion Hawaiian Volunteers was disbanded for their disloyalty toward the King and neutral stance during the rebellion. Two years later, in 1891, King Kalākaua died in San Francisco and Liliuokalani ascended the Hawaiian throne. Wilcox would hold a prominent position in her government as an elected member of the Royal Legislature
.
Robert William Wilcox
Robert William Kalanihiapo Wilcox , nicknamed the Iron Duke of Hawaii, was a native Hawaiian revolutionary soldier and politician. He led uprisings against both the government of the Kingdom of Hawaii under King Kalākaua and the Republic of Hawaii under Sanford Dole, what are now known as the...
to force King Kalākaua of Hawaii to reenact the Hawaiian Constitution of 1864
1864 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
The Constitution of 1864 of the Kingdom of Hawaii was a rewrite of the 1852 constitution issued by King Kamehameha III. It dramatically changed the way Hawaii's government worked by increasing the power of the king and changing the way the kingdom's legislature worked...
from the Constitution of 1887
1887 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
The 1887 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii was a legal document by anti-monarchists to strip the Hawaiian monarchy of much of its authority, initiating a transfer of power to American, European and native Hawaiian elites...
.
Liberal Patriotic Association
1864 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
The Constitution of 1864 of the Kingdom of Hawaii was a rewrite of the 1852 constitution issued by King Kamehameha III. It dramatically changed the way Hawaii's government worked by increasing the power of the king and changing the way the kingdom's legislature worked...
. Wilcox let Robert N. Boyd in on the plot, Boyd was a friend of Wilcox from his academy in Italy. Wilcox and Boyd recruited 150 Hawaiians, Europeans and Chinese to form the Liberal Patriotic Association, which used a rifle club front
Front organization
A front organization is any entity set up by and controlled by another organization, such as intelligence agencies, organized crime groups, banned organizations, religious or political groups, advocacy groups, or corporations...
called the “Kamehameha Rifles”. Chinese businessmen who lost rights under the Bayonet Constitution supported his plot and provided funding for weapons. Each rebel was bought a red shirt uniform inspired by Giuseppe Garibaldi's
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian military and political figure. In his twenties, he joined the Carbonari Italian patriot revolutionaries, and fled Italy after a failed insurrection. Garibaldi took part in the War of the Farrapos and the Uruguayan Civil War leading the Italian Legion, and...
Redshirt volunteers, whom Wilcox admired.
Reform Party
The Bayonet Constitution1887 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
The 1887 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii was a legal document by anti-monarchists to strip the Hawaiian monarchy of much of its authority, initiating a transfer of power to American, European and native Hawaiian elites...
was forced on Kalakaua by the Honolulu Rifles
Honolulu Rifles
The Honolulu Rifle Company was a paramilitary force loyal to the Missionary Party and the later Reform Party. It was created in 1854 as a militia to deal with internal conflict, 24 Rifles were deployed during the [[ʻIolani Barracks#1873 Barracks Revolt|1873 Barracks Revolt]]...
a paramilitary group loyal to the Reform Party. The constitution was extremely unpopular to most people affected or not, and disenfranchised many. The voting restrictions led the Reform Party to win the legislature
Legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom
The Legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom was the bicameral legislature of the Kingdom of Hawaii. A royal legislature was first provided by the 1840 Constitution and the 1852 Constitution was the first to use the term "Legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom", and the first to subject the monarch to...
in the 1887 elections on September 12, that year.
King Kalākaua
The Bayonet Constitution1887 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
The 1887 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii was a legal document by anti-monarchists to strip the Hawaiian monarchy of much of its authority, initiating a transfer of power to American, European and native Hawaiian elites...
left Kalakaua mainly a figurehead and gave the legislature most of the power. Hearing of the Rebellion he believed it was another attempt to oust him and avoided the palace. He move to a secret location, his boathouse so that he could escape by sea if necessary, with an armed escort of twelve guards.
Battle
On the morning of July 30, 1889 Wilcox's Redshirts entered the Palace grounds and surrounded Iolani Palace while others garrisoned surrounding buildings including Aliiōlani HaleAliiolani Hale
Aliiōlani Hale is a building located in downtown Honolulu, Hawaii, currently used as the home of the Hawaii State Supreme Court. It is the former seat of government of the Kingdom of Hawaii and the Republic of Hawaii....
and Kapuaiwa. The Redshirts aimed two captured heavy cannons at the palace where 30 Royal Guard were stationed. Lt. R. P. Waipa, commander of the 30 guards, refused to surrender. King Kalākaua was aware of the rebellion and had avoided the palace, fearing it was a new plot to overthrow him. The Reform Party alerted to the rebellion sent the Honolulu Rifles under the command of Colonel Ashford and three cannons to suppress this revolt. Ashford was a Canadian immigrant who had come to Hawaii to join his brother. The Rifles took up positions in nearby buildings, notably the Opera House and fired on the rebels. Snipers were stationed in the Kawaiahaʻo Church clock tower.
One of the cannons was turned and opened fire on the Opera House at close range, but the gun was also well within range of the riflemen and the crews were forced to abandon their cannons. The Redshirts were driven into surrounding buildings where they exchanged fire with the Honolulu Rifles. The Royal Guard at the palace maintained neutrality during the battle under Kalākaua's orders not to fire unless the rebels tried to enter the palace. Members of the Honolulu Rifles felt this to be an act of collaboration. There were fears that the 2nd Battalion Hawaiian Volunteers stationed at Iolani Barracks commanded by Maj.
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Samuel Nowlein (where the cannons were taken from without a struggle) who were sympathetic toward the rebels might even desert and join the battle with Wilcox, but this did not happen. Liliuokalani had gone to the guardsmen before the battle and ordered them to remain neutral during the fight. Shortly after noon the surrounding buildings were cleared of Wilcox’s men, including the twelve men in Aliiōlani Hale
Aliiolani Hale
Aliiōlani Hale is a building located in downtown Honolulu, Hawaii, currently used as the home of the Hawaii State Supreme Court. It is the former seat of government of the Kingdom of Hawaii and the Republic of Hawaii....
, leaving only the palace grounds and the buildings on it in rebel hands. Later on the Rifles used grenadiers with sticks of dynamite
Dynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
to attack the Palace Bungalow, then a Redshirts stronghold. They threw the dynamite over the walls encompassing the palace grounds. The explosions blew open the roof of the Palace Bungalow killing and wounding rebels. Shortly after the explosion Wilcox and his men surrendered.
Aftermath
By the end of the Rebellion, Wilcox lost seven men (some sources say eight) and a dozen wounded, Boyd was one of them, wounded twice. The Bungalow was damaged beyond repairs and eventually demolished. MarinesUnited States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
from the USS Adams
USS Adams (1874)
USS Adams was a screw gunboat and the lead ship of the Adams class.Adams was built as a single screw, wooden-hull, bark-rigged steamer. The ship was laid down in February 1874 at Boston, Massachusetts, by Donald MacKay; and was launched on 24 October 1874. The new ship was commissioned on 21 July...
patrolled the streets of Honolulu for a week. Most rebels received one-year imprisonments. Wilcox was tried for treason, and acquitted by an all-Hawaiian jury. Lieutenant Albert Loomens, unlike Wilcox, was tried by an all-white jury for being a Belgian and only pure Caucasian of the Liberal Patriotic Association. Albert Loomens was the only one found guilty of his role in the rebellion and sentenced to be hanged, the punishment was later reduced to being exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
d from Hawaii. The 2nd Battalion Hawaiian Volunteers was disbanded for their disloyalty toward the King and neutral stance during the rebellion. Two years later, in 1891, King Kalākaua died in San Francisco and Liliuokalani ascended the Hawaiian throne. Wilcox would hold a prominent position in her government as an elected member of the Royal Legislature
Legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom
The Legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom was the bicameral legislature of the Kingdom of Hawaii. A royal legislature was first provided by the 1840 Constitution and the 1852 Constitution was the first to use the term "Legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom", and the first to subject the monarch to...
.