The "Pig War"

About that time Brigadier General William Selby Harney, commander of the U.S. Military Department of Oregon, arrived. He was known for his foul temper, vulgar tongue, and frequent insubordination. He met some of the U.S. residents of the island and learned about the residents' fear and dislike of the British.

On July 11, 1859, he ordered Captain Pickett and Company D of the Ninth Infantry to establish a post. When Douglas heard of this he ordered Captain Geoffrey Phipps Hornby of the British Man-of-War Tribune to land a contingent of Royal Marines on the island. British naval officers advised him against it since it was contrary to navy policy. Instead Hornby met with Pickett at his tent, accompanied by two British boundary commissioners. Hornby asked him on what terms Pickett occupied the island. Pickett declared that he was following the orders of the general commanding the territory. He also added that Harney was acting under orders of the government in Washington D.C. Hornby argued that since the U.S. had put a military force on a disputed island that the British could only do the same. Pickett claimed he could not allow joint occupation until he heard from General Harney.

General Harney was pleased with Pickett's report of the meeting. He was concerned, though, about Pickett's assessment that his forces were too weak to fight a large British force. So he sent reinforcements. Douglas continued to protest but it did no good. By the end of August, the British stationed five warships with 167 mounted guns and over 2,000 men.

On September 3, 1859, President James Buchanan finally received Harney's report of the events in Puget Sound. He was shocked. He immediately directed the acting secretary of war W.R. Drinkard to send an urgent message to Harney stating that the president was "not prepared to learn that you had ordered military possession to be taken of the Island of San Juan or Bellevue." He further stated that he did not believe a military action was necessary. Secretary of State Lewis Cass assured the British ambassador Lord Lyons that Harney was not acting on the instructions of his government and sent the general in chief of the army, Winfield Scott, to order Harney to remove the troops.

Scott met with Harney on October 21 and with Captain Pickett the following day. Then he talked to Governor Douglas, and negotiated a joint military occupation. He immediately reduced the garrison to one

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