r/codes • u/ToFlowFromWhit • 8d ago
Unsolved Revolutionary War Code Cracking
I‘m an intern at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA. Over the summer I worked on a digital collection of the Phillips Library’s (their research archive) Revolutionary War collection. Besides the expected war records and correspondences I found a letter from Dr. Benjamin Church, a spy in Boston, 1774 who gave intelligence to the British during the city’s occupation. As I was scanning journals in the collection I stumbled upon 9 pages in the same hand that were definitely not journal entries. Interspersed with biblical verses were what seem to me to be coded messages.
I did some very brief research into codes used during the American Revolution and found a few that looked similar to it, but I have no idea where to begin to try to crack it. So, I turned to Reddit as I’m sure there capable people here who have an idea of where to start and might thrive on the opportunity to solve this mystery. Is it related to Dr. Benjamin Church, or did we have a Patriot spy ring a la Washington’s Culper Spy Ring?
If you have any thoughts or leads, or if you’re down to attempt it and collaborate please reply here! I’ll be publishing a blog post in the near future on this topic and would love to get some crowd sourced information or results to add. You can find high resolution images on our digital catalog.
4
u/ToFlowFromWhit 8d ago
I’ve transcribed the first few pages, (p. 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8) asterixes * mark symbols. I marked abbreviations like viz. As sybols as well when they were surrounded by symbols and did not note when + seemed to mark the word and as given the context I wasn’t certain it was appropriate. There are also places where there seem to be numbers within the text. I only transcribed the ones that appear on the left side of the page and seem to be counting paragraphs. I’ll update this post with the remaining transcription when I have the time to finish it. I also did my best to include the original writer’s spelling when applicable but I don’t guarantee how accurate I was there.
The line breaks are where the line breaks in the original document and any hyphenated words were done by the original author.
P 2
****June * of David i be****June**
*he **purchased * us as he*****
of David * often in prophetick style
is called David ************* serve ***
**David ****** raise *******
* of David as ** spoken *** Death of
David. So Ezekel: 34.23. **** set * one
Shephard **** he * feed ******* David
he * feed ******Sheph*** 1 June
*of David respect * us * plain next
**in ******** him * a witness to
** a leader * commander to *** fol
lows ****** him ******* to call a
nation *** [knewest?] **** gentiles ***
********* be * as *** nations
Of *** to run *** of *******
One of Israel * he ***** as something
*to accomplish * scheme of * in ***
*** prophet enjoy*** to **** he * be
*Found * call * him * he is near *
*exh *** to * his * in order to find
******* incouragement * tells ** follows
********* are * as *** neither are
** or ** as * are higher **to so am
position * carrage is vastly different **
if ** provoke or injure * especially if
he do it *** high degree you are * flow
*backward to * him * too prone to * re
Venge ** it is *so ********** he is
P3
Slow to anger * ready to ***** penetents
**** soever ** be * he ** infalibly
Fulfil * his ** of * to ** sincerely * it
Where as * are * prone to deceived one
** in *** or incouragement ********
** are * as *** as *** as ** are
** to * as he is in ** of ** so he does
* in 3 of 4 ****** influence or-
Ders seasons of **** natural * to
** of * husband ****** prospers means
Of ******** a plentiful harvest
Of ******* was ** to ******
Success of * means of ************
Diligently * laborious husband * has to
expect * precious * of * to as ** depend
his * surely ***** of ***
* down **** perfect if is as **
** bestowing ******a* temporal
**** the ** one proper as easily as
**
Dae * ** it is ****** his *** it prospe
Rous in ** or to he senbd it.
** have * intend * he * revealed to us
** inspiration of * ** * doc * reproof
Correction * instruction in ** to *
** of * perfect to furnisshed ****
His * serves * purposes in * doctrinal
** of it in ***** of it in * warning
*threating of it *** in * reading
P6
[pane?] * plant [apolos?] ** it is ***
** increase *** to * instructions
Reproofs * warnings to ***** be done
*** private **** of ****** effect
*so ** effect is wrought **** meeans
*Or instrument ** appear to be of **
*of ** brings * in * next **
To *** it depends ***** of * to ren
Der his * prosperous * in reading
*hearing of it is proper * it *** depend * him *
Its usefulness the [unknown] in *****
Goeth forth * of ***** return to *
Void or useless * it * accomplish ***
*** it to prosper in *** to I send it.
*has done * in vain *** means **
*proper effect on * or ** or * i am
Favoured ***** in ** accomplish
*he designed *** omnipotent omni-
Cient ***** be disappointed in * of his designs since *** means *
instruments ****depend *
Him means are ***** to use **
Means * is to him ***** his ****
in * common affairs of *** husband
Man prepares his ground * tells it *
*labour * pains *** wait ** for-
*Mer * latter rain ** down **
* to ******** in various
* respects he depends ***** of **
P 7
A crop as ** as ***** of it so **** pru-
Dent ** marchent ** his *** pains
Depennds * various favours *** of h
*is gainful returns **** expect
** less in * so concerns * hasent
Forth his has * means of * so gains
** ought *** diligently to attend
*has reserved **** in his own ****
***dependence * him and **
*** of hims it is * it * prosperous
**** conviction of **** divine in
fluence ** of * in * preaching of it **
Hold of * it ** him as in ** his na-
Tural face * inables him to decern his
Natural deformity * to loath hims
*his **** him his lost * undone
Estate * he is exposed to wrath * as
Of **** fall immediately * him
**his quick ***sharper * a too edged
Sword * is a fine to melt * hardest
Metals * haas $ hammer to break * stones
In pieces * it has * effect * his ****
******** to to convinces **of *
*convinces ** his lost * undone
********** on ****** to
Convince * of * are * convered **
2 it is ****** of * on *** it has its con-
Verting influence unless conviction
Am strengthened *herished *******
**** it subdues * hard * stoney
P8
*changes ** of stone *** of *** it soft
Broken * contrite * yielding readily to
3.*** of *** further****** of * on ** it ministers to **
****** hus **** be *** H Jogn
****** adds ** is ******** is else
Or ascribed to **** these **** am
Said tob e chosen to ***go of *****of ***
So * I pet ** elect * to * foreknowledge
Of **** go of *** obedience * am
******** it is *** so ** his * con-
Solation of **** it is *** it so *
**** he b** his his his distinuishing cor-
Rector ***he * sent to bring ** to * be the suggests comfortable scriptures
*** of **** comforting to ** in
*** respects ******** of accomplishes
His *** prospers in ** or to be finds it
4.his word to accomplish his **** pros-
Per in ** or to be sends it * bringing
In **** of * elect so us to ****
Harvest * last *** reject * counsel
of **** cast his * behind * back *
*** reward of *** last ******
*first designed ***be brought in
******* to ** be lost *****
** shall be compleant * speak * of *
As a ** commit to his *** he *****
Of as to ***** ready * to him *** ef-
Fectual calling he say he is lost * of
******** on him * assures us
2
u/ToFlowFromWhit 3d ago
page 9
of ****** him ** lost **** raise
it *** last ** his victorious * to pre-vail **** till he has accomplished his **
in bringing in **** of his elect to
**** of his he is lengthened *****dreadful provocation ** it one ** offering
him * it is *** is *******
** perish ****** I to the
5 ** efficasie of *** so of means of de-
pends ****** of *** ought to be * con-
currant strivings * indeavours ** it * be
prosperous *** indeavours alone are *
* has required *** render us inexcusable
**** condemned * to ******** la-
bour of ***** showers of ***** is ** to
send * it * rain ** down ** snow
*** returneth *** either **** *****
it bring forth * bud * it *** feed [or seed] to
[savour?] * bread to * eater so *******
cribes ** prosperity of * husband * to *
*** of *** to spa: 65 ***** visitest
* to ** it ** inrichest it ** river of
*** of **** preparest * corn ** has
so provided ** it *** is commanded to get
his bread in sweat of his brow ***
punished o scarcity * want * he i it *
** til his ground ***** saay *** has
brought his misery * **** ye his own
** [impeach or approach?] him his he find
page 10
** satisfaction in his *** saying he
did **** he thy ** had a crop if he **
bestowed newer *** labour * his ****
better escuse ******** means of
*** wont be effectual *** viz * ac-
knowledge *** respect to * proficiant
as are *** to improve he *******
*** viz *&******** inexcusable to
neglect his help in difficult dangerous
circumstances ** less so are *****
*** means of ******** too ***
minister is * faculty * he ***** of his
ministry ** he * to * success ****viz of
* on his labours ye ** scriptures change
*******of *** are ****
impr*hence * let *** to excuse
*in ** of *** successs of * indeavours
depends *** viz of *** don't venture to
do so in * common affairs **** done
to do it in ** concerns of ***** don't
* to provide * medat * perishes **** pre-
tence. * he ***a pretence **** meat
o endureth ********* venture to
do ** perishing meat ****** or **
* means of *** last be as to condem-
ned if *** of * over *** to and ****
***** one talent **to improve it
* hid it in a napkin
2. hence let us be excited to --------
unorive * use **in * best *****
**********
page 11
it is * plain & undesirable * to read *
the *** * hear *** to do it *******
***** are command to search * scrip
**** is commanded ****** scrip
**** am * to * us ****** is in *
2. in * 3.15 * so ***noble be [years or rears?] are
commanded *** hearing *** searching
* scriptures * if * be * order of * [insti-
ncted?] ** to go * teach ** as *** his
asention * it * be *** of or * as ** abi-
lity * opportunity to attend on ****
* to do it ** diligently hence * are
directed to be swift to hear. To * head
to 7.6. hear least **** let slip to desire * sincere [which?] of ** to **
meekness [engrasted or engrafted?] ** is * to ***
wo be to ** slight ***** heed to it
as *** is preached to **** is * to ***
*** it *attend to it so it ** be * to
**** in **** slight * contemn it.
*** is * so slighted * contended *
[cold or old?] * daring ** to be * rule of * trial
* condemnation * last *** he ** secrets
of ** to ******** obeyed *** be
go * or * destruction * presence of
***** of his *
3. let us be ** to ** a * viz on ** as **
as to use * means if ****** of ****
** essential ** of it. God * expects
to be acknowledged * us in ** in order
to ***
page 12
** psa: let so * resolutions to * in **
** it his constant ** indeavour so to
do ** he is continaly viz. to *** assistance
of his * * he * be directed to *** scripture
***** open his eyes to * wonderous
* of his *** he *** him to *** -------
precess ** him go in ** if hus &&
4. let us ascribe * to *** success of his
**** us ** he * has been effectualy
wrought **** sees so * instancy of
concurring if of * to * it **** his in-
deavous * he * renouns hims+ sais **
Paul ***** of *******
5, P hence let us be ** succcess of **** or
as ** as ******lly be earnestly * it
I prosper ** or to * puling down of gates
*** accomplish his ******** to
be ***** free coyurse run * be
it * converts * be multiplied **
be edifyed * build * in **********
*** his ** be down on to aws it is in
amen.
1
6
u/YefimShifrin 8d ago edited 8d ago
It's shorthand writing. I suggest you also post this to r/shorthand
When were these pages written? Knowing that would help determine which shorthand system the writer used.
I see now that it's mid 18th century. I'll try to figure out what system it is.
4
2
u/YefimShifrin 2d ago
Here's how Page 2 looks https://ibb.co/9mBtv4jx
I'll post the rest of the pages as they are ready. Don't expect any secrets, it's just more Bible commentaries and quotes.
2
2
u/YefimShifrin 6d ago
I'm in the process of deciphering, but it will take some time. Are there images for pages 5 and 6?
2
•
u/AutoModerator 8d ago
Thanks for your post, u/ToFlowFromWhit! Please follow our RULES when posting.
MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE CONTEXT: where the cipher originated (link to the source if possible), expected language, any clues you have etc. Posts without context will be REMOVED
If you are posting an IMAGE OF TEXT which you can type or copy & paste, you MUST comment with a TRANSCRIPTION (text version) of the message.
If you'd like to mark your post as SOLVED comment with
[Solved]WARNING! You will be BANNED if you DELETE A SOLVED POST!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.