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How did a Dead Pig Spark the 1859 Pig War?
On June 15, 1859, American settler Lyman shot a British-owned Hudson’s Bay Company pig in his garden on the San Juan Islands belonging to employee Charles Griffin.
From June 15, 1859, to October 21, 1872, 461 United States Soldiers, along with 14 cannons, led by Brigadier General William S. Harney, Captain George E. Pickett, Colonel Silas Casey, and Lieutenant-General Winfield Scott, faced off against 2,140 British personnel and five Royal Navy Warships, led by Sir James Douglas, Captain Geoffrey Phipps Hornby, and the Royal Marines, for control of the San Juan Islands.
Before the Pig War began, on June 15, 1846, United States Secretary of State James Buchanan and British envoy Richard Pakenham met in Washington, D.C to sign the Oregon Treaty, which set the international border at the 49th parallel, but a wording mistake caused the territorial dispute over the San Juan Islands.
Meanwhile, the surrounding Haro Strait, which was favored by the United States, and the Rosario Strait, which was favored by the British, caused the Islands to be claimed by both nations.
When the war began after Cutlar killed Griffin’s pig, he demanded $100 in compensation, but Cutlar offered $10.
This prompted the British to call for Cutlar’s arrest, but local American settlers called for military protection, which was asserted for the next 13 years.
For just over a decade, the San Juan Islands remained bloodless, but on May 8, 1871, the Treaty of Washington was submitted to Emperor of Germany, Kaiser Wilhelm I for him to act as international arbitrator between the United States and Great Britain.
One year later, on October 21, 1872, Wilhelm I awarded the San Juan Islands to the United States, forcing the British to withdraw their forces in November, while the American forces withdrew in July 1874.
Overall, the Pig War of 1859 stands out in history as an oddity, as it was sparked by a single animal and resolved without violence.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) Who owned the pig that began the 1859 Pig War?
The pig belonged to Charles Griffin, an Irishman who managed a sheep ranch on the island for the British-owned Hudson’s Bay Company.
2) Did anyone die in the 1859 Pig War?
The only casualty of the conflict was the pig shot by Lyman Cutlar.
3) How was the 1859 Pig War conflict resolved?
The United States and British governments agreed to a joint military occupation of San Juan Island while they sought a diplomatic solution. In 1872, International arbitrator Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany awarded the islands to the United States.
Why it matters
The Pig War showed how international disputes can be resolved through diplomacy rather than violence.
Sources
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