The Honolulu Rifle Company (also known as the Honolulu Rifles or more plainly the Rifles) was a paramilitary

Paramilitary

A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....

 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]]. In 1887 they secretly allied with the Missionary Party and was the armed force in the 1887 Rebellion that made King David Kalākaua

Kalakaua

Kalākaua, born David Laamea Kamanakapuu Mahinulani Nalaiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua and sometimes called The Merrie Monarch , was the last reigning king of the Kingdom of Hawaii...

 of Hawaii sign the Bayonet Constitution at gun point (with fixed bayonets, hence the name of the constitution). The following elections brought the missionary party to power and the Rifles filled the role of protecting the legislature. They defended the constitution in the Wilcox rebellion and were the mainforce in the Overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. After the overthrow, on January 27, 1893 the Provisional Government created a military. The Honolulu Rifles became the army’s D Company under commanded by Captain John Good and the national guard’s B Company commanded by Captain Hugh Gunn. The two companies were active under the Provisional Government of Hawaii

Provisional Government of Hawaii

The Provisional Government of Hawaii abbreviated "P.G." was proclaimed on January 17, 1893 by the 13 member Committee of Safety under the leadership of Sanford B. Dole...

 and the Republic of Hawaii

Republic of Hawaii

The Republic of Hawaii was the formal name of the government that controlled Hawaii from 1894 to 1898 when it was run as a republic. The republic period occurred between the administration of the Provisional Government of Hawaii which ended on July 4, 1894 and the adoption of the Newlands...

. After Hawaii was annexed becoming the Territory of Hawaii

Territory of Hawaii

The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 7, 1898, until August 21, 1959, when its territory, with the exception of Johnston Atoll, was admitted to the Union as the fiftieth U.S. state, the State of Hawaii.The U.S...

 in 1898 the Rifles entered the Army National Guard

Army National Guard

Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...

 system and became part of the present Hawaii Army National Guard

Hawaii Army National Guard

The Hawaii Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...

.