Yeah, Lonesome and Doug, there was an altercation between the US and Canada over the boundary in the west. There was a joint occupation agreement in effect. Pres. Polk was elected on the Oregon question and his "Fifty-four forty or fight" slogan. There was much argument on paper from both sides, with the usual posturing, but finally Britain acceeded to the current boundary with the Treaty of Oregon in 1846. Their reasons were several- In a war, Britain stood to lose Canada to a powerful neighbor. The British Navy could not participate in defence because of the location. The territory between the 49th parallel and the Columbia was small. Many American settlers (as well many from the British Isles) had come to the area, and were opposed to any conflict.
There was some sort of conflict on one of the islands- members of a ships crew coming ashore for water or supplies? - and I think some pigs paid the supreme price. Can't remember now; this is trivia that isn't in the better history books.