On 15 June 1859, American farmer Lyman Cutlar shot a British-owned pig rooting in his garden on San Juan Island, land claimed by both the US and Britain. Within weeks, 461 American soldiers and 14 cannons faced British warships carrying 52 guns, though officers from both sides still shared church services, whisky and cigars. The British admiral refused to go to war "over a squabble about a pig", and the island stayed under joint occupation for 12 years. On 21 October 1872, exactly 154 years ago today, Germany's Kaiser Wilhelm I settled the dispute in America's favour. The only casualty was the pig.
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October 21, 2026