The officers feared an unpleasant reception at the breakfast table that morning; but Mr. Route’s hospitality was superior to his passions, and as though nothing of an unpleasant nature had happened, greeted them courteously.
After supper (the night before), Route brought in his little son, a youth of some nine or ten summers, whom he introduced to the officers as Robert L. Route, Jr., and standing him upon the table, made the following exhibition of his precocity: “Robert, my son, who was the greatest man that ever lived?” “Jesus Christ,” said the youth. “Right, my son; who is the next greatest man that ever lived?” “Abraham Lincoln,” was the answer. “Right, my son; and who is the next?” “Robert L. Route, my father,” answered the boy, with increased assurance. “Right, my son; and, gentlemen, isn’t this a boy to be proud of?” said the delighted parent. The officers increased the father’s happiness by saying that they thought the boy a very remarkable one indeed, and that his high estimation of his father’s worth was well grounded.
March 31. The regiment arrived at Camp Nelson at noon. Here four days’ rations were distributed among the men of the Brigade, after which it moved to Nicholasville, and took the cars for Cincinnati.
April 1. The Brigade arrived at Covington (opposite Cincinnati), and Major Chipman had orders to proceed with the regiment to Cincinnati. Crossed the Ohio to the city, and took up quarters in the Sixth Street barracks. Colonel Barnes gave up his command of the Brigade and joined his regiment. Colonel Pierce, who had been in Massachusetts for several weeks prior to this, upon learning of the arrival of the regiment at Cincinnati, came to that city on the 3d of April, assumed command, and on the 7th started with the regiment for Boston, arriving there about five o’clock on Saturday afternoon, April 9.
The regiment came home so unexpectedly, that no preparations were made to receive it, and the men, except those who belonged in the city, went into the barracks on Beach Street, while the officers took up their quarters at the United States Hotel. The Boston papers of Monday the 11th of April duly noticed the arrival of the regiment, the “Journal” devoting nearly a half-column to a description of it, the names of its officers, an account of the battles and campaigns in which it had been engaged, and said of it, among other pleasant things, “The Twenty-ninth has as good a record as any in the service, and deserves a hearty welcome.”