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Volney V. Ashford | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Ashford,c. 1887 | |
| Nickname | V.V. |
| Born | 1844 |
| Died | 21 March 1900(1900-03-21) (aged 55–56) |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | |
| Branch | |
| Rank |
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| Unit | |
| Commands | Honolulu Rifles |
| Battles / wars | |
Volney Vallencourt "V. V."Ashford (1844 – 21 March 1900) was an American soldier and involved in 19th-century rebellion inHawaii.
Ashford joined theUnion Army in 1863 after leaving his home inPort Hope,Ontario. He was aBritish citizen since Canada was a territory of theUnited Kingdom. He became aQuartermaster Sergeant in the Grizwold Light Cavalry during theAmerican Civil War. After the Civil War, Ashford, became a surveyor for theBeaverton railway and joined thePrince of Wales' Canadian Dragoons where he madeCaptain.[2] He waswidowed twice in addition to the death of his daughter. In 1884, his brother and futureAttorney General of Hawaii, Clarence W. Ashford, invited him to visit Honolulu. After moving to Hawaii he joined theHonolulu Rifles, amilitia. Ashford became responsible for the Rifles' growth from 100 men in 1886 to a battalion of three companies in 1887 and recognition as aparamilitary force. He rapidly moved up the ranks entering with his Canadian rank ofCaptain, he rose throughMajor andLieutenant Colonel becomingColonel in 1887, the highest rank and commander of the Rifles itself.
Shortly after becoming Colonel, a group of conspirators within the Missionary Party wanted to annex Hawaii to the United States. Ashford believed the monarchy was corrupt and was recruited to what would be known as theHawaiian League. The Hawaiian League used the Rifles in theRebellion of 1887 abloodless revolution to enact the Bayonet Constitution. In 1889, the Rifles did battle with forces ofRobert Wilcox in theWilcox Rebellion. Upon Wilcox's surrender, he offered Ashford hissabre; Ashford accepted the surrender but turned down the sabre. Ashford began to regret his support for the Hawaiian League. He came to believe that the League was more corrupt than the monarchy at advancing their own interests rather than improving Hawaii. He joined theLiberal Party, a third party that supported neither the Monarchy nor the Missionaries. Ashford was arrested in a plot to overthrown both the Monarchy and Bayonet Constitution known as theBurlesque Conspiracy and went into exile. His brother took his place in his absence as commander of the Honolulu Rifles. After theOverthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, Ashford returned to Hawaii and retired from his position as commander of the Rifles. He was a strong supporter of annexation, but with the establishment of theRepublic of Hawaii he gave little support for the new government which he believed was corrupt and later revealed at his military tribunal, disapproved of the mistreatment ofHawaiians by the government. Ashford was approached bycounter-revolutionaries as a consultant to restore the monarchy.
Thecounter-revolution ended in failure in 1895 and Ashford was charged withmisprision of treason and received one year in prison and a $1000 fine. Due to his ill health he was given the option of the one-year sentence or becomeexiled (if he returned he would receive his original sentence). After accepting exile he moved toCalifornia, his brother moved in with him under similar circumstances of exile. Ashford died on March 21, 1900, inOakland,California.
On a Bayonet Throne by Neil B. Dukas