Wilcox rebellion of 1889

Part of the Hawaiian rebellions (1887–1895)

Modern photo of Iolani Palace

Date

July 30, 1889

Location

Honolulu, Hawaii

Result

Decisive Reformist Victory

Status quo ante bellum
1887 Constitution maintained
Wilcox Surrenders
Rebels tried and most serve one year sentences.

Belligerents

Hawaiian League

Kingdom of Hawaii

Liberal Patriotic Association (Redshirts)

Commanders and leaders

Robert W. Wilcox (POW)

Albert Loomens (POW)

Robert N. Boyd (POW)

Strength

Honolulu Rifles

100-200 militiamen

Kingdom of Hawaii
30 Royal Guardsmen

150 militiamen

Casualties and losses

None

7-8 killed
12 wounded
70 captured

Decisive Reformist Victory

Honolulu Rifles

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 with the knowledge of Princess Liliʻuokalani 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 about 80 Hawaiians, Europeans and Chinese to form the Liberal Patriotic Association. Chinese businessmen who lost rights under the Bayonet Constitution supported his plans and provided funding. Each rebel was bought a red shirt uniform inspired by Giuseppe Garibaldi's Redshirt volunteers, whom Wilcox admired.

The Bayonet Constitution was forced on Kalakaua by the Hawaiian League, a group of haole (white) businessmen, all citizens of Honolulu, with the support of the Honolulu Rifles, a volunteer regiment, authorised by the King but primarily loyal to the Reform Party, whose members were officers. The constitution was unpopular to many as it severely restricted the King's authority, and disenfranchised many of the common people by way of high property ownership requirements. The voting restrictions led the Reform Party to win the legislature in the elections on September 12, 1887, putting the government in the hands of American business interests.

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