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Honolulu Rifles

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The Honolulu Rifles were the name of two volunteer military companies of the Hawaiian Kingdom .

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32-689: In 1857, the First Hawaiian Cavalry, an artillery and infantry company which was originally established in 1852, was renamed the Honolulu Rifles and changed to solely an infantry unit. The unit was first commanded by Captain R. Coady , and later by Captain Charles T. Gulick . It was disbanded in 1874 after failing to respond during the Honolulu Courthouse riot , although their founding constitution stipulated that only

64-629: A Commander-in-Chief of the rank of lieutenant general to oversee the military forces of the Kingdom. John O. Dominis was given this position while the King himself, under this act, was the Supreme Commander, referred to as Generalissimo. Eventually the act of 1886 would be deemed unconstitutional. The Honolulu Rifles were disbanded on August 23, 1890. At what point the Rifles became part of

96-521: A member of the Privy Council of State and the Governor of Maui , succeeding Paul Nahaolelua , who had resigned the governorship to become Minister of Finance. Kapena served as Governor of Maui from February 23, 1874 until December 15, 1876, when he too resigned the governorship to become Minister of Finance. He was succeeded by William Luther Moehonua as governor. On January 10, 1876, Kapena

128-480: The Belgian Red Cross . In 1887, Kapena resigned his last political post as Collector General of Customs. Kapena died at his residence at Peleula, Honolulu, on October 23, 1887, at the age of 44. Kapena's funeral at St. Andrew's Cathedral the following day was attended by the King, members of the royal family, ranking members of the government and Honolulu society, Viscount Torii and T. Fujita of

160-861: The Royal Order of Kamehameha I , a Grand Officer of the Royal Order of the Crown of Hawaii and a Grand Officer of the Royal Order of Kalākaua . He was also accorded the foreign honors of the Grand Cross of the Order of the Rising Sun of Japan, Grand Officer of the Order of the Cross of Takovo of Serbia, Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown of Prussia , Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Japan and

192-467: The overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi . In the 1895 Wilcox rebellion , he was tentatively selected to be Minister of Finance in the cabinet, and drafted the new constitution to be used if the plot had succeeded. He and the other leaders were arrested, and put on trial for treason starting January 21, 1895. The defence was led by former attorney general Paul Neumann . Although Gulick denied involvement in plans for military strikes, witnesses testified

224-680: The Hawaiian Islands. As part of the Education of Hawaiian Youths Abroad governmental program, Kapena also escorted three Hawaiian students to study in Asia. James Kapaa was placed in a school in Canton , China, and James Hakuole and Isaac Harbottle were placed in schools in Japan. Kapena was decorated with a number of Hawaiian and foreign orders and honors. He was made a Knight Companion of

256-579: The Hawaiian League known as the Committee of Safety is still somewhat unclear. More than likely the expansion of the company coincided with the formation of the Hawaiian league. Charles T. Gulick Charles Thomas Gulick (July 25, 1841 – November 7, 1897) was a Kingdom of Hawaiʻi politician and one of the few members of the various missionary families of the time to side with

288-654: The Household, member of the Board of Education, Commissioner of Boundaries for Maui, Commissioner of Crown Lands, Commissioner to Codify and Revise Laws and Registrar of Conveyances for Oahu. In 1872, he was appointed as the Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of Japan. Along with his secretary John Lot Kaulukoʻu , he traveled to Japan to negotiate the prospect of Japanese immigration to

320-681: The Interior Charles T. Gulick served as acting finance minister while he was attending the Louisville Exposition in 1885 as Special Commissioner. He was succeeded by Paul P. Kanoa . He also served as the Postmaster General from 1881 to 1883 and the Collector General of Customs from 1886 to 1887. Other political posts and appointments he held during his political career included Marshal of

352-456: The Interior, while also acting as Minister of Foreign Affairs and even Attorney general . He went back into business, and became a real estate broker. Gulick was appointed again to the post of Minister of the Interior of Queen Liliʻuokalani on September 12, 1892, and served until November 1, 1892. He met with Liliʻuokalani and other leaders loyal to her on January 15, 1893, just before

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384-674: The Japanese legation, the Lodge Le Progres de L'Oceanie and the Hawaiian Lodge No. 21, F. & A. M., where he was a member. His service was conducted entirely in Hawaiian by Anglican Reverend Alexander Mackintosh with Reverend H. H. Gowen also in the chancel . His daughter Leihulu served as the chief mourner. After the service, a funeral procession brought the hearse carrying his casket to Kawaiahaʻo Church where he

416-694: The United States to negotiate the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875 . In 1882, he traveled to Tokyo as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of Japan to negotiate Japanese immigration to Hawaii . Born on October 2, 1843, at Lāhainā , on the island of Maui , Kapena was the son of Mākini and High Chiefess Nāʻawa, a relative of the Kalākaua family . He was adopted under the Hawaiian custom of hānai by his uncle Jonah Kapena , an influential statesman, judge and royal advisor since

448-539: The age of 39. They had one daughter, Alexandrina Leihulu Kapena (1868–1914). On November 5, 1887, Leihulu married Morris Kahai Keohokālole of Maui. She later divorced Keohokālole and married Henry N. Clark after he divorced his wife Emma Dreier. Leihulu owned property on Hawaii and the mainland United States. She died on March 23, 1914, while living in San Francisco, California. She was the last lineal descendant of David Malo. Leihulu died intestate and her estate

480-551: The cessation of Hawaiian territory. Lunalilo died without an heir in 1874. In the election that followed , Kapena supported his relative David Kalākaua's candidacy for the vacant throne against Queen Emma , the dowager queen of Kamehameha IV (r. 1855–1864). The choice of Kalākaua by the legislature , and the subsequent announcement, caused a riot at the courthouse . US and British troops were landed, and some of Emma's supporters were arrested. As part of his first round of political appointments, Kalākaua appointed Kapena as

512-538: The company came into the leadership of Volney V. Ashford , who had extensive military experience with the United States during the Civil war and later with the Canadian Militia . The company began its rise when it won a drill competition at Kalakaua's 50th birthday celebration. The Rifles were a part of the social community of Hawaii and in 1887 hosted an exhibition and dance for the community, attended by most of

544-464: The first Native Hawaiian to hold the post of foreign minister and the only minister to survive the political shakeup. He held this post from July 3, 1878, to August 14, 1880. During his tenure, the elders ( na elemakule ) of Tabiteuea in the Gilbert Islands requested annexation to Hawaii. However, Kapena and the king wrote back declining the request due to its political impractically. When

576-429: The first circuit court on the island of Oahu, serving in the latter position from April 1, 1873, to July 13, 1874. In July 1873, King Lunalilo and his foreign minister Charles Reed Bishop considered a proposal to cede Pearl Harbor to the United States in exchange for a reciprocity treaty. Although he was in favor of the reciprocity treaty, Kapena gave a speech in front of 1500 Hawaiians at Kaumakapili Church opposing

608-517: The government could call on them and no command was ever received at the time of the insurrection. The second company was reorganized in the spring of 1884 with the approval of the cabinet and King Kalakaua who gave the group its name. The organizations first use was on April 26, 1885 at the death of the Dowager Queen Emma , to stand guard at her residence after her passing. The reorganization held little prominence until after 1886 when

640-556: The group met at his house. He was convicted and first sentenced to death, which on February 23, was reduced to 35 years in prison and a fine. Gulick was part of the last batch of prisoners to be released when the remaining eight prisoners including him and Wilcox were pardoned and released on January 1, 1896. He died November 7, 1897. A street in Honolulu was named Gulick Avenue in his honor. John M%C4%81kini Kapena John Mākini Kapena (October 2, 1843 – October 23, 1887)

672-606: The king chose a new cabinet in 1880, Kapena was replaced in the position by the Italian adventurer Celso Caesar Moreno to the vehement opposition of the diplomatic corps and political leaders in Honolulu. Kapena later returned to another cabinet headed by Walter Murray Gibson when he was appointed Minister of Finance for a second term in February 1883 after Kaʻai was removed for "dereliction of ministerial duty." He served as finance minister until June 30, 1886, although Minister of

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704-546: The monarchy in the 1893 overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi . Gulick was born on July 25, 1841, to a family of American missionaries. His father was William Gulick, and mother was Eliza Throop Thomas (1804–1903). His father's brother Peter Johnson Gulick married his mother's sister Frances "Fanny" Hinckley Thomas Gulick (1798–1883), who had seven children (his cousins) who also became missionaries, including Luther Halsey Gulick (1828–1891) and John Thomas Gulick (1832–1923). He attended Punahou School 1855–1862, where he

736-595: The monarchy until disbanded in 1874. He also later served as adjutant general from 1878. On February 5, 1876, he married Sarepta A. Thompson in Honolulu . He was appointed to the cabinet of King Kalākaua as Minister of the Interior on August 6, 1883, and served until June 30, 1886. He also served as acting Minister of Finance during the absence of John Mākini Kapena . It is widely thought that sugar magnate Claus Spreckels had suggested both changes. Both before and after Gulick, Walter M. Gibson acted as Minister of

768-486: The political figures of the day, where the king presented them with the flag of the Kingdom. The ranks of the reorganization grew significantly after January 1887 when it adopted a resolution to become subject to an act of 1886 "To organize the military forces of the kingdom" . By March of that year it split into two companies, A and B, forming a battalion. The following month, Portuguese residents formed another company that became company C by May 25. The act of 1886 required

800-509: The reign of Kamehameha V (r. 1864–1872), he was commissioned on January 16, 1864, as first lieutenant of the 1st Company of the Yeomanry, a volunteer army regiment in the military of Hawaii. When King Lunalilo ascended to the throne in 1873, Kapena was appointed to a number of political positions. He was appointed to the Board of Education on January 23. He was made a colonel on the king's personal military staff on January 27, and judge of

832-598: The reign of King Kamehameha III (r. 1825–1854). Kapena was educated at the Royal School and later at the Oahu College . In 1863 he married Emma Aʻalailoa Malo (1846–1886), the only daughter of early Native Hawaiian historian and Christian minister David Malo and his third wife Rebecca Lepeka. Emma was an accomplished musician and composer and served as an attendant of Princess Liliʻuokalani . Emma died unexpectedly from heart disease on April 18, 1886, at

864-481: Was a pitcher on a team called the "Pacifics" playing early games of baseball with the sons of Alexander Cartwright . In September 1869 he officially became a citizen of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi . He ran a business as notary public and issued government documents such as marriage licenses. He became the commander of the original Honolulu Rifles , with rank of Captain; this unit unlike its namesake remained loyal to

896-438: Was a politician, diplomat and newspaper editor who served many political roles in the Kingdom of Hawaii . He served as Governor of Maui from 1874 to 1876, Minister of Finance from 1876 to 1878 and again from 1883 to 1886, Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1878 to 1880, Postmaster General from 1881 to 1883 and Collector General of Customs from 1886 to 1887. From 1874 to 1875, he accompanied King Kalākaua on his state visit to

928-647: Was appointed by the king to be an official member of the House of Nobles, the upper chamber of the legislature. As a member of the House of Nobles, Kapena served in every legislative session between 1876 and 1886. From November 17, 1874, to February 15, 1875, Kapena was a member of the Reciprocity Commission and traveled with Kalākaua on his state visit the United States to negotiate the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875 . Kapena held various important cabinet positions during Kalākaua's reign. In 1876, Kapena

960-401: Was appointed to the king's cabinet as Minister of Finance serving alongside three Americans: Henry A. P. Carter , Minister of Foreign Affairs; John Mott-Smith , Minister of the Interior; and Alfred S. Hartwell , Attorney General. He served as the finance minister from December 5, 1876, until Kalākaua demanded the resignation of his entire cabinet in the middle of the night on July 1, 1878. It

992-417: Was disputed between her widower and her two next of kin: Samuel I. Maikai and David U. K. Maikai (grandsons of John William Elliott Maikai ). The Hawaii Supreme Court ruled in favor of her widower as her sole heir. In 1870, Kapena became the editor of the newspaper Ke Au Okoa , which ran from 1865 until it merged with Ka Nupepa Kuokoa to become Ka Nupepa Kuokoa Me Ke Au Okoa I Huiia in 1873. During

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1024-546: Was widely suspected that Kalākaua's sudden replacement of his cabinet was influenced by American businessman Claus Spreckels , who had refinanced the King's debts the night before in order to secure water rights for his sugarcane plantation on Maui. On July 3, Kapena was appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in a new cabinet with Samuel Gardner Wilder , Minister of the Interior; Simon Kaloa Kaʻai , Minister of Finance; and Edward Preston , Attorney General. Kapena became

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