No 5       Tuesday November 17th  1864

Dear Parents

I received your letter No 3 (as I made it after turning the figure around) and also a ledger yesterday. Was glad to hear from you to hear that you was all well. I never enjoyed better health in my life than I have since I came back to this hospital. I got a letter from Washy the 10. He was well and still at Jefferson B. He said that he expected the Regt thare in a few days but I presume you have herd from him since then. You see that I have quit writing about trying to get to my regt. I don’t try anny more. When they get reddy to send me then I am reddy to go but I am verry well contented here since I came back I am In a little room with three pretty good fellows (if one don’t care what he sais) and not much to do but cut up and sais ??? in general. I make rings most of the time. Generaly about two a day. I made two today and will send one to Mary H. In the last two weeks I have made $15. Most of that selling rings which I can sell at 50cts  apiece. Most as fast as I can make them. This one that I send you is about as good as they will everige. You wrote that Washy sent you one so I thought that I would try one and if it gets through I will send you all one apiece.William McLean drumer in my company started from here in furlough. He lives near Manchester. If he comes near he said that he would call in and see you. Him and me are pretty good friends. Sargt C.O.Torry from my company is here now so I have one that I can associate with. I signed the pay role today. Shall get pay this week and will send it all home what ever it is. If they take out my transportation bill it wont be only $25 if not $30. I eamost (as grandad use to say) wish that I was home to help you pick your corn. I feal so stout I believe I can work like a hero now. I haint seen anny snow yet. Hope I shall get farther south before I do. I do get your Ledgers and am glad to see them a coming. I am verry much interested in them to if you pleas just send them along for a year or while I stay in the service. I take the Daily Gate City printed in this town but there is no good stories in it like there is in the Ledger. You know that I am He** on stories. It is getting so dog nabed dark here that I cant see. Will quit untill after supper and light a candle doodledoodle ??dandy. Darker than Hale ???

Wall here I am now at it again but I don’t see much paper before me and I cant get anny more into an envelope with the ring. The boys are cutting up so here that I cant think of anny thing to write. I will only say that election went of all quiet here which is better than I expected. The day before the election they isued arms and ammunition to us expecting to have a general riot here.

I will close now and if you can read this you can do better than I can. Direct as before

                     Vanburen W. Sargent
                                     To
                              A.V. Sargent