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Take a journey through Puget Sound, and you'll encounter a tapestry of natural vistas, charming ports, enriching excursions, and enthralling histories. Among these narratives lies an extraordinary event that forever altered the borders of the United States—an event triggered by none other than a pig.
In the mid-19th century, amidst the serene shores of San Juan Island, a seemingly mundane incident sparked an international dispute famously known as the Pig War.
The narrative unfurls with the Treaty of Oregon in June 1846, aiming to delineate the boundary between the United States and British North America. However, ambiguity clouded the interpretation of the treaty's language concerning the defining "channel" between Vancouver Island and the mainland.
The Hudson's Bay Company, stationed at Fort Victoria, asserted claim over San Juan Island, establishing various enterprises, including salmon-curing stations and the Belle Vue Sheep Farm. Concurrently, American settlers, lured by the island's fertile prospects, began asserting their claims, igniting tensions with British authorities.
The simmering discord erupted in 1859 when Lyman Cutlar, an American settler, shot a pig trespassing in his garden—an act seemingly trivial but one that set off a chain reaction. British authorities threatened to expel American settlers, prompting them to seek protection from the United States.
Responding to the escalating tensions, Brigadier General William S. Harney dispatched Company D, 9th U.S. Infantry, led by Captain George E. Pickett (yes, the same Pickett of the Gettysburg fame), to San Juan Island. The arrival of American troops infuriated the British, setting the stage for a standoff between the two nations.
As the standoff intensified, reinforcements arrived on both sides. However, British forces, under the command of Captain Geoffrey Phipps Hornby, refrained from armed confrontation, recognizing the folly of escalating a dispute over a pig.
In a bid to defuse the situation, President James Buchanan dispatched General Winfield Scott, proposing a joint military occupation of the island until a permanent resolution could be achieved—an agreement accepted by both parties in November 1859.
The joint occupation endured for 12 years until the Treaty of Washington in 1871 referred the San Juan dispute to arbitration. Following almost a year of deliberation, the commission ruled in favor of the United States on October 21, 1872, establishing the boundary line through Haro Strait. Thus, the San Juan Islands became American territory, effectively concluding the Pig War—13 years after a pig was shot.
By 1874, with the withdrawal of British and American troops from San Juan Island, tranquility finally prevailed. The Pig War, with its only casualty being a pig, remains a testament to the quirks of history and underscores the vital role of diplomacy in resolving seemingly inconsequential disputes with far-reaching ramifications.
If you enjoyed this regaling tale, consider taking an American Cruise Line river cruise through the heart of our country. With exciting guided tours and daily activities, you'll be sure to have a memorable and enlightening river cruise!
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