Transcribed and Contributed by Tom Busby
Great Great Grandson of V. W. Sargent, Company F.
Away from Regt
Jeff Bcks June 21st/64
Mother
I received yours of the 10th this morning which found me on the game(?) My leg is doing well. I can get around first rate on crutches but don't think that I will go home untill I get my pay. It wont make anny difference about staying at home. I cant stay only so long if I was ever so sick. I can get a thirty day furlough and when the time is out have to report here or be marked as a deserter and that would make trouble about getting pay ever afterwards so I think I had better stay untill I get pay and by that time I can walk with a cane and then I can go up there and have some fun while I do stay. And another thing, I don't want to go down south agane while the hot weather lasts and the sooner I get back from furlough the sooner they will send me to my regiment. It would take about as long for you to get money to me as it would to wait for my pay. I will be mustered out the first of July and perhaps get pay aright off and perhaps not untill the middle of the month.
You spoke about coming down here. Don't come unless I send for you. I will tell you if I am sick and I can tell you now that I am not sick nor haint ben since I was wounded. I am as strong as I should have ben if I was perfictlt well and laid in bed as long as I did. It did not take me long to lern to walk on crutches. I can goit like a top up stairs and down. You did not say whether you had received my letter in answer to your first or not. It was answered as soon as received. I wrote to the twins the first of the month. Have not got an answer yet. Expect they are on a campaign down through Miss after old Forrest. At least I saw in the paper that A.J. Smith had goin down that way and my regt is in his command.
I have no news to write so will bring this to a close. Write often and I will do the same.
Yours
V.W. Sargent
Direct as before