The Pig War
How a Porcine Tragedy Taught England and America to Share

It’s 1859. The British and Americans coexist on the small island of San Juan,
located off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. They are on fairly good terms—
until one fateful morning when an innocent hog owned by a British man has the
misfortune to eat some potatoes on an American farmer’s land. In a moment of
rash anger, Lyman Cutlar shoots Charles Griffin’s pig, inadvertently almost
bringing the two nations to war. Tensions flare, armies gather, cannons are rolled
out … all because of a pig!
Emma Bland Smith’s humorous text brings to life this true story of how two great
nations once almost went to war—but learned to share instead.