Seriously, the 'San Juan Affair' was far too close to a genuine war.  The local military commander appears to have grossly overstepped his authority.  General Harney, commander of the Department of Oregon, was going to assert the US claim to the San Juan Islands (off Vancouver Island, which should not be confused with Fort Vancouver on the Columbia River) without instruction from Washington.  His Anti-British stance caused all kinds of problems.  There is a possibility that the level-headed Ingalls was involved in the negotiations. 

There are two very interesting bits of trivia come out of this war.  One is that the only casualty was the pig.    The other is that it was the 'settlement' or truce was brought about by General Winfield Scott.  The same person that settled the Aroostook War in 1838-1839.   The Webster-Ashburton treaty of 1842 settled the northeast boundary of the state of Maine.

So, the same person was responsible for settling both of these casualty-free wars that defined the northernmost corners of the continental US.

To see if you are paying attention, I have ridden my snowmobile up the north-south line that is the boundary of the Maine and New Brunswick.  There are little Washington Monuments everywhere. It is actually an official trail. (near Grand Falls N.B.)

Map of the San Juan Islands

Includes the British and American boundaries.  Requires Adobe Acrobat.

They should have brought a real pig!.

The Aroostook War

Article by Elizabeth Gordon