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"For several days, the British and U.S. soldiers exchanged insults, each side attempting to goad the other into firing the first shot, but discipline held on bo
by matt_morgan 7y ago
"For several days, the British and U.S. soldiers exchanged insults, each side attempting to goad the other into firing the first shot, but discipline held on both sides, and thus no shots were fired."
So basically they all wanted to shoot each other, but not so much that they would defy orders.
We absolutely suck.
- nerfhammer 7y agoit gets nicer at the end: "As a result of the negotiations, both sides agreed to retain joint military occupation of the island until a final settlement could be reached, reducing their presence to a token force of no more than 100 men.... During the years of joint military occupation, the small British and American units on San Juan Island had an amicable mutual social life, visiting one another's camps to celebrate their respective national holidays and holding various athletic competitions. Park rangers tell visitors the biggest threat to peace on the island during these years was 'the large amounts of alcohol available'."
- mattnewton 7y agoAt least there were some smart people on both sides: > The governor of the Colony of Vancouver Island, James Douglas, ordered British Rear Admiral Robert L. Baynes to land marines on San Juan Island and engage the American soldiers under the command of Brigadier-General Harney. (Harney's forces had occupied the island since July 27, 1859.) > Baynes refused, deciding that "two great nations in a war over a squabble about a pig" was foolish.[6][10]