Cryptography 1863
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(Doing some background research) WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A. , Richmond, Va., June 22, 1863. Maj. Gen. D. H. HILL, Commanding, etc. : GENERAL : The delay is so great in transmitting and deciphering dispatches in the cipher used by the signal corps, that I shall here- after, when necessary to employ cipher, communicate with you in the following, viz: Reverse the alphabet, taking Z for A, Y for B, X for C, &c. I request you to use the same cipher in your dispatches to the De- partment. Your obedient servant, J. A. SEDDON, Secretary of War.
"Before entering on an understanding, I have meditated for a long time, and have foreseen what might happen. It is not genius which reveals to me suddenly, secretly, what I have to say or to do in a circumstance unexpected by other people; it is reflection, it is meditation." - Napoleon I
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(Doing some background research) WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A. , Richmond, Va., June 22, 1863. Maj. Gen. D. H. HILL, Commanding, etc. : GENERAL : The delay is so great in transmitting and deciphering dispatches in the cipher used by the signal corps, that I shall here- after, when necessary to employ cipher, communicate with you in the following, viz: Reverse the alphabet, taking Z for A, Y for B, X for C, &c. I request you to use the same cipher in your dispatches to the De- partment. Your obedient servant, J. A. SEDDON, Secretary of War.
"Before entering on an understanding, I have meditated for a long time, and have foreseen what might happen. It is not genius which reveals to me suddenly, secretly, what I have to say or to do in a circumstance unexpected by other people; it is reflection, it is meditation." - Napoleon I
That would get broken in no time. It would be interesting to know what cipher they were using. And now it's euphemistically Secretary of Defense. Plain speaking was a thing back then, though I suppose Secretary of Offense would be somewhat honest.
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The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing. -
That would get broken in no time. It would be interesting to know what cipher they were using. And now it's euphemistically Secretary of Defense. Plain speaking was a thing back then, though I suppose Secretary of Offense would be somewhat honest.
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The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.General Hill was a Confederate officer - and this letter does say CSA (Confederate States of America). Telegraph was used at the time for some information transmittal, assuming there was a non-destroyed line at hand.
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(Doing some background research) WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A. , Richmond, Va., June 22, 1863. Maj. Gen. D. H. HILL, Commanding, etc. : GENERAL : The delay is so great in transmitting and deciphering dispatches in the cipher used by the signal corps, that I shall here- after, when necessary to employ cipher, communicate with you in the following, viz: Reverse the alphabet, taking Z for A, Y for B, X for C, &c. I request you to use the same cipher in your dispatches to the De- partment. Your obedient servant, J. A. SEDDON, Secretary of War.
"Before entering on an understanding, I have meditated for a long time, and have foreseen what might happen. It is not genius which reveals to me suddenly, secretly, what I have to say or to do in a circumstance unexpected by other people; it is reflection, it is meditation." - Napoleon I
I once ran across a description of a Civil War-era cypher and it was very strange. It used a crossword pattern with and without dots for the first eighteen letters and then an X pattern with and without dots for the last eight. I can see how messages like that could take a while to decipher.
"They have a consciousness, they have a life, they have a soul! Damn you! Let the rabbits wear glasses! Save our brothers! Can I get an amen?"
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I once ran across a description of a Civil War-era cypher and it was very strange. It used a crossword pattern with and without dots for the first eighteen letters and then an X pattern with and without dots for the last eight. I can see how messages like that could take a while to decipher.
"They have a consciousness, they have a life, they have a soul! Damn you! Let the rabbits wear glasses! Save our brothers! Can I get an amen?"
Pig pen cypher.
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(Doing some background research) WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A. , Richmond, Va., June 22, 1863. Maj. Gen. D. H. HILL, Commanding, etc. : GENERAL : The delay is so great in transmitting and deciphering dispatches in the cipher used by the signal corps, that I shall here- after, when necessary to employ cipher, communicate with you in the following, viz: Reverse the alphabet, taking Z for A, Y for B, X for C, &c. I request you to use the same cipher in your dispatches to the De- partment. Your obedient servant, J. A. SEDDON, Secretary of War.
"Before entering on an understanding, I have meditated for a long time, and have foreseen what might happen. It is not genius which reveals to me suddenly, secretly, what I have to say or to do in a circumstance unexpected by other people; it is reflection, it is meditation." - Napoleon I
I get reminded of Sherlock Holmes adventure "The Dancing Men". A cryptography based adventure.
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(Doing some background research) WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A. , Richmond, Va., June 22, 1863. Maj. Gen. D. H. HILL, Commanding, etc. : GENERAL : The delay is so great in transmitting and deciphering dispatches in the cipher used by the signal corps, that I shall here- after, when necessary to employ cipher, communicate with you in the following, viz: Reverse the alphabet, taking Z for A, Y for B, X for C, &c. I request you to use the same cipher in your dispatches to the De- partment. Your obedient servant, J. A. SEDDON, Secretary of War.
"Before entering on an understanding, I have meditated for a long time, and have foreseen what might happen. It is not genius which reveals to me suddenly, secretly, what I have to say or to do in a circumstance unexpected by other people; it is reflection, it is meditation." - Napoleon I
This. This is why all manner of security gets broken. Security is hard work. Security must be maintained, no matter if it's passwords or door locks. If Seddon were alive today, he would certainly reuse passwords.
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(Doing some background research) WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A. , Richmond, Va., June 22, 1863. Maj. Gen. D. H. HILL, Commanding, etc. : GENERAL : The delay is so great in transmitting and deciphering dispatches in the cipher used by the signal corps, that I shall here- after, when necessary to employ cipher, communicate with you in the following, viz: Reverse the alphabet, taking Z for A, Y for B, X for C, &c. I request you to use the same cipher in your dispatches to the De- partment. Your obedient servant, J. A. SEDDON, Secretary of War.
"Before entering on an understanding, I have meditated for a long time, and have foreseen what might happen. It is not genius which reveals to me suddenly, secretly, what I have to say or to do in a circumstance unexpected by other people; it is reflection, it is meditation." - Napoleon I
Interesting that this was sent less than 2 weeks before the pivotal Battle of Gettysburg - one of the few times that the Confederate Army marched into the northern states. Hill was part of that army that marched north. Edit: Mistake on my part - I am confusing Confederate General A P Hill with Confederate General D H Hill. D H Hill stayed in Richmond VA during the battle of Gettysburg. I apologize.
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Interesting that this was sent less than 2 weeks before the pivotal Battle of Gettysburg - one of the few times that the Confederate Army marched into the northern states. Hill was part of that army that marched north. Edit: Mistake on my part - I am confusing Confederate General A P Hill with Confederate General D H Hill. D H Hill stayed in Richmond VA during the battle of Gettysburg. I apologize.
Yes; Gettysburg. There are dispatches (from both sides) about their relative movements towards that big event ... and then this pops up.
"Before entering on an understanding, I have meditated for a long time, and have foreseen what might happen. It is not genius which reveals to me suddenly, secretly, what I have to say or to do in a circumstance unexpected by other people; it is reflection, it is meditation." - Napoleon I
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That would get broken in no time. It would be interesting to know what cipher they were using. And now it's euphemistically Secretary of Defense. Plain speaking was a thing back then, though I suppose Secretary of Offense would be somewhat honest.
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The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.It was known as the Caesar Cipher. Could have made it a little harder shifting the letters instead of simply reversing. (I like the one where you write words with milk, let it dry, and then over heat the letters reappear).
"Before entering on an understanding, I have meditated for a long time, and have foreseen what might happen. It is not genius which reveals to me suddenly, secretly, what I have to say or to do in a circumstance unexpected by other people; it is reflection, it is meditation." - Napoleon I
