Pickett George Pickett and the pig war.

Waterloo50

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Cartoon courtesy of http://www.veritablehokum.com/comic/the-pig-war/

An intresting talk about General Pickett and the Pig War with Michael Vouri, the talk includes some excellent photos and clips of Pickett’s house. Vouri has a great talent for describing how a pig and a crop of potatoes nearly caused a war between the USA and Great Britain. Incredible to think that a lone British magistrate threatened to arrest Pickett and his 64 men which was incredibly brave or stupid considering that Pickett and his men were armed with cannons....enjoy.

https://www.c-span.org/video/?316823-1/general-george-pickett-pig-war
 
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Although war was averted, the dispute over boundaries lingered on into the 1870s, when the parties agreed to submit it for arbitration to Kaiser Wilhelm I (recently elevated from King of Prussia). Wilhelm appointed a commission which studied both nations' claims and decided in favor of the US.
I don’t think he’d have come out in favour of Britain even if the British claim was the stronger of the two.
 
I don’t think he’d have come out in favour of Britain even if the British claim was the stronger of the two.

How so? Britain and Prussia were traditionally allies; Wilhelm's son would marry <correction> was married to Queen Victoria's daughter (also Victoria). And of course he was selected as arbitrator because both Britain and the US trusted him to render fair judgement. Was there some issue at the time that I am not aware of?
 
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How so? Britain and Prussia were traditionally allies; Wilhelm's son would marry <correction> was married to Queen Victoria's daughter (also Victoria). And of course he was selected as arbitrator because both Britain and the US trusted him to render fair judgement. Was there some issue at the time that I am not aware of?
How so? Britain and Prussia were traditionally allies; Wilhelm's son would marry <correction> was married to Queen Victoria's daughter (also Victoria). And of course he was selected as arbitrator because both Britain and the US trusted him to render fair judgement. Was there some issue at the time that I am not aware of?
oh that’s not a dig at Wilhelm, it’s a fact that the British diplomats messed up in the arbitration process. Britain could have had an airtight argument but without strong diplomatic representation it was a forgone conclusion, even the papers in 1871 were hinting that the arbitration process would not be in Britain’s favour.
 
I was unaware of any of this.

Though not surprised by it.

Saddened but not surprised. Then again it has shades of the much more serious War of Jenkins' Ear from the previous century.

'Oi, the Spanish cut off my ear.'

'They did? Right send the Royal Navy'

RN Commander: 'To do what exactly?'

'To teach them a lesson'

RN Commander: 'How?'

'You have your orders'

RN Commander sighs deeply.
 
:laugh: That's exactly what Admiral Barnes did! Why am I here with three warships over a pig? Sigh - mine is not to reason why...

Well, it's all the fault of Hudson Bay Company. They were good at starting wars of the 'let's you and him fight' category. And there was a gold rush. Americans are very opinionated about gold bearing land - it's ours, if it's in this hemisphere. To plant a flag, as it were, Hudson Bay Company decided to put a sheep ranch on San Juan Island - that way it would be a start to a claim on the strategic island and allow the British navy to safeguard their lucrative fur trade in the Pacific Northwest. In fact, it was their vessel that showed up with some of their representatives to mediate, which actually was to say to Cutlar, "You'll be sorry you shot that pig, you will!" Next thing you know, our friend George Pickett exclaims, "We'll make a Bunker Hill of it!" and dispatches thousands of troops to the island, which prompted...escalation. Poor George. I guess he didn't remember we lost Bunker Hill - he had a knack for slightly off center discernment!

But, the pig in question was not just any old potato scarfing porky. He was a prize breeding boar worth ten times what Cutlar offered for him and had a pedigree just as good as any the Kaiser could cough up! (That's Sir Hogsworth, btw.)
 
After the pig incident, tensions calmed down, both sides limited themselves to 100 men, both the US and GB set up their respective camps at either end of the island. Things ticked along nicely for the next 12 years. The American troops would invite the British troops to their camp to celebrate Independence Day and the Brits would invite the Americans to their camp to celebrate Queen Victoria’s birthday. Apparently the biggest threat to peace and stability on the Island was the amount of alcohol consumed by both sides at their little gatherings.
 
Why did the arbitration process favour the USA, according to the historian Frances White.
The Americans were very clever with their choice of representation – George Bancroft had studied in Germany and had many powerful German connections. The British representative, Admiral James Prevost, although a talented negotiator, was a virtual unknown in the country. After months of deliberation, a decision was made:

“Most in accordance with the true interpretations of the treaty concluded on the 15th of June, 1846, between the Governments of Her Britannic Majesty and of the United States of America, is the claim of the Government of the United States that the boundary-line between the territories of Her Britannic Majesty and the United States should be drawn through the Haro Channel.”

Basically the USA cheated...can we have our island back please...:bat:
 
After the pig incident, tensions calmed down, both sides limited themselves to 100 men, both the US and GB set up their respective camps at either end of the island. Things ticked along nicely for the next 12 years. The American troops would invite the British troops to their camp to celebrate Independence Day and the Brits would invite the Americans to their camp to celebrate Queen Victoria’s birthday. Apparently the biggest threat to peace and stability on the Island was the amount of alcohol consumed by both sides at their little gatherings.
Denmark and Canada have a conflict over an island called Hans Ø that is between Greenland and Canada.
It have been ongoing since 1973.

In 1984 Canada started the war, by having troops go to the island, plant a Canadian flag and leave a bottle of whiskey.
So the Danish navy sailed there, removed the Canadian flag, planted a danish one and left a bottle of schnapps.

And this have gone on since. Both sides go there every 2-3 years (depending on the ice) and plant a flag... and leave a bottle.
 
Denmark and Canada have a conflict over an island called Hans Ø that is between Greenland and Canada.
It have been ongoing since 1973.

In 1984 Canada started the war, by having troops go to the island, plant a Canadian flag and leave a bottle of whiskey.
So the Danish navy sailed there, removed the Canadian flag, planted a danish one and left a bottle of schnapps.

And this have gone on since. Both sides go there every 2-3 years (depending on the ice) and plant a flag... and leave a bottle.
Had to look that one up because I wanted to know how big the island was, apparently it’s 4,230 ft long and 3,934ft wide, it’s kind of hilarious to think that Denmark and Canada had to draw up a land boundary, I guess Denmark can hold onto their 2,115 ft share of the island.Those Canadians though, they keep leaving notes for the Danish, most of them read, ‘Welcome to Canada’.
 
War, of any kind, has been part of mans makeup and culture since the beginning of time. Women would never take us to the brink of war over one mans pig eating another mans potatoes! If you don't think man is made for war just know that of the past 3,400 years, humans have been entirely at peace for 268 of them, or just 8 percent of recorded history.
 
War, of any kind, has been part of mans makeup and culture since the beginning of time. Women would never take us to the brink of war over one mans pig eating another mans potatoes! If you don't think man is made for war just know that of the past 3,400 years, humans have been entirely at peace for 268 of them, or just 8 percent of recorded history.
Not so sure about that, remember that during the Pig War Queen Victoria was the commander in chief. It’s also a fact that throughout history that more Queens have declared war than Kings, Hell hath no fury’, and all that jazz.
Remember grandma got pretty uptight when she discovered that Clyde had eaten all of her Oreos.
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