Coded American Civil War message in bottle deciphered

[Harry Hope]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12079281

25 December 2010

Coded American Civil War message in bottle deciphered


A message in a bottle delivered to a Confederate general during the American Civil War has been deciphered, 147 years after it was written.

In the encrypted message, a commander tells Gen John Pemberton that no reinforcements are available to help him defend Vicksburg, Mississippi.

"You can expect no help from this side of the river," says the message, which was deciphered by codebreakers.

The text is dated 4 July 1863 - the day Vicksburg fell to Union forces.

The small bottle was given to the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond, Virginia, by a former Confederate soldier in 1896.

Earlier this year the museum's collections manager, Catherine Wright, decided to investigate the wrapped note it contained.

It was "just sort of a curiosity thing", she told the Associated Press news agency.

When Ms Wright found that the message was coded, she asked retired CIA codebreaker David Gaddy crack it - which he did in several weeks. A Navy cryptologist later confirmed the interpretation.

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Fascinating

Harry

[d_r]

1. "drink more ovaltine"

[gmoney]

2. perfect

or perhaps "Megadittos"

[Rhiannon12866]

5. Something tells me we've been watching the same channel, LOL.

Several years ago, I went to see a local production of "A Christmas Story." During the intermission, they served refreshments. Among the offerings were meat loaf, red cabbage, and to drink, yup, Ovaltine. :rofl: :hi:

[BlueCheese]

6. They should call it Roundtine.

You know what I'm talking about.

[Poll_Blind]

3. That's really cool! I love stories like this.

:thumbsup:

PB

[Orrex]

4. "Vote McCain in 64"

Would have been my guess.