The Pig War was a confrontation in 1859 between the United States and the United Kingdom over the British-U.S. border in the San Juan Islands, between Vancouver Island and the Washington Territory. The Pig War, so called because it was triggered by the shooting of a pig, is also called the Pig Episode, the Pig and Potato War, the San Juan Boundary Dispute, and the Northwestern Boundary Dispute. Despite being referred to as a "war", there were no human casualties on either side.
[Extracts.] Mr. Campbell to Mr. Cass. Washington City, February 10, 1858. Captain Prevost finally proposed such a compromise as would throw within the territory of the United States all the…
U. S. Northwest Boundary Commission Camp, Simiahmoo, Forty-ninth Parallel, September 25, 1858. Practically it can make no difference whether the main channel be adopted as “the channel” intended by the…