It's been way too quiet on this list and I have a story to share with you that you might never connect with the Gorin family. Jimmy Simmons of here in Glasgow was a highly qualified Civil War historian. He was the history teacher at Glasgow High School for many years and it is due to his wonderful teaching style that many of our citizens here gained an intense interest in not only the war but of genealogy. Jimmy died a few years back and I am in the process of publishing 108 newspaper columns that ran in the now defunct Glasgow Republican newspaper. All of the articles deal with Glasgow and Barren Co in the Civil War, written 100 years after the conslusion of the war. He wrote the following column, which dealt with the War of 1812 instead, and did involve our family. Although not named in this article, the troops involved in this story were led by our John Gorin. Jimmy told this story at the dedication of a Revolutionary War marker for John at the Glasgow Municipal Cemetery about 10 years ago and cited it as being John Gorin's unit who raised many troops here in Glasgow. I thought you might enjoy the story. The Kentucky Military Pig (November 8, 1962) I hope that the reader will forgive me for departing, just this once, from the War Between the States, but the story which I am going to tell today is one of my favorites and I cannot resist relating it at this time. In 1813, Governor Isaac Shelby issued a call for Kentucky Volunteers to meet him at Newport for the purpose of invading Canada and getting revenge for the Raisin Massacre. A large number of troops having been murdered there when the prisoners from that battle had been turned over to the Indians by the British. Many of the prisoners were Kentuckians. The story goes that one of the volunteer companies was passing through Harrodsburg on their way to join Governor Shelby, when they saw two pigs fighting outside of the town. The men becoming interested in the fight, paused to observe the combat. The fight was soon over and the militiamen offered their heartiest congratulation to the victor. The march was soon resumed, and the pig was observed trotting along on the flank of the company. When the column halted for the night, the pig settled down near the men, and was soon sharing the rations of the men. This continued for several days and the men soon became quite fond of their comrade. At Newport, the militiamen bade a sad farewell to their comrade and embarked on the ferry for Cincinnati. The pig hesitated for a second, and then, to the delight of the men, plunged into the mighty Ohio and swam across beside the ferry. When the march resumed, the pig was once again in his usual place. To say that he became the favorite of the men, is an understatement. Many lean and hungry days wee to follow for the Kentuckians, but not once did anyone entertain even the vaguest thought of dining on the pig. When the volunteers reached Lake Erie, the pig mounted the ferry with them, but at Boss Island, he refused to disembark into Canada and was returned to the American shore with a man to care for his wants. The Kentuckians proceeded to the Thames where they were victorious over the British and the Indians. Upon their return, there stood "Old Kentucky" waiting to join them on their return home. The return journey was one of many hardships as winter had set in. The military pig suffered greatly from the cold and at Maysville, where the army re-crossed the river, it was decided to leave him in care of a sympathetic farmer until he could recover from the frostbite. More than one tear dimmed the eye of the heroes of the Thames as he bade a last farewell to an old comrade of many a hard campaign. But the story of the Kentucky Military Pig was not yet ended, because when he recovered, Governor Shelby had him brought to his farm near Frankfort where he spent the remainder of his days in ease and plenty like a true southern gentleman. Sandi Col. Sandi Gorin - Publishing: http://ggpublishing.tripod.com/ GORIN worldconnect website: http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/~sgorin