Missives using a Great Cipher of Napoleon () ()

The codebooks of Napoleon

Introduction

In 1896, Commandant Bazeries wrote a book entitled “The codebooks of Napoleon I during the campaign of 1813, episodes of the siege of Hamburg”.

This book contains several encrypted letters exchanged between Marshal Davout and the Emperor in 1813. Commander Bazeries succeeded in deciphering them. It publishes the originals (encrypted) as well as its translation.

The code used is of the “Great Cipher” type. Indeed we can see the presence of a codegroup with the value 1200.

Bazeries did not publish the code it reconstructed. We also managed to reconstruct it, but we do not have the same merits because we relied on the translation of Bazeries. We leave it to the reader to reconstruct it in turn. You can email me your solution.

Notes: I added an underscore character in front of each number that does not correspond to a codegroup belonging to the code. Thus, it is possible to do an automatic translation.

Extract (verbatim) from Bazeries' book

DOCUMENTS found in the cover of an old book in AIX-LA-CHAPELLE

On November 13, 1813, Marshal Davout evacuated Ratzebourg to return to Hamburg. On December 14, 19 and finally December 1 and 4, he wrote to the Emperor. These are the duplicates of these four letters that were in the cover book.

The first of these letters has reached its destination, since we found it in the National Archives, but the other three appear to have been lost.

Here are these four letters, in order of date and in full and their translation which agrees strictly with the codegroups on each page: 

                                   – 38 --

                        " 443. le 96 novembre _1813.
        " Sire,
 " Le général Cara Saint-Cyr m'a écrit de Munster
en date du _5 novembre que Votre Majesté par une
763. 654. 185 de 400. 855. 1143. du 171 l'avait 703.
173. 221 faire 969. 620. 132. 893. 136. 173. 1200. 260.
1096. 1171. 173. 516. 514. 1167. 950. 1174. 436. 112.
310. 309. 443. et s'il 1125. 1128. 132. 1023. 869. de
faire 331. 891 de 786. 681. 443. à la suite il y avait
1165. 737. qui n'avaient 1060. 731. 436. 95. 188. 881.
437. J'ai fait la réponse que ce 891. 210. 941. 1048.
524. puisque des 768. 969. 95. 175. 260. 587. 5. 210
déjà 323. 309. 261. époque 681. 356. 558. 49. 677 et
qu'il parait 1132. 1044. 759. 173. 423 est à la 185.
185. - 702. 436. 57. 972 sur les 660. 1024. 173. 238.
670. 450. 902. 670. 1108. Il est
                " Hambourg, le _14 (_1) novembre _1813.
"Sire,

"General Cara Saint-Cyr wrote to me from Munster on November 5 that Your Majesty, by a letter dated from Mainz of the first, had instructed him to let me know to approach Holland after leaving a good garrison in Hamburg, and, if it was not time to make this movement, maneuvers on Hamburg; after that there were five codebooks that had no meaning.

"I replied that this move was infeasible, since considerable corps had already arrived by this time on both shores and it seems that the Prince of Sweden is at the head. There is an entrenched camp on the heights of Haarbourg. It is 

                                   – 39 --
déjà 865. 808. 173. 883 - 502. 436. 136. 112. 185. 810 de
1042. 77. 309. 656. 334. 826. 731. 731. 902. 334. 138. 905.
701. 956. 1200. 620. 1044. 363 et 516. 902. 597. 450. 1119.
1108 avec le 768. 150. la 578. 512. 204 et la 578. 306.
1171. 49. Je 1095. 947. 261. 333. 951. 173. 516. 1025. 602.
956. 34. 1117. 319. le plus 512. 985. 1108. 869. 939.
731. 93. 902. 260. 77. 453. le 656. 624. 1025. 351.
363 et 443 - cela me donne le 869. 173. 339. 1175.
136 r des 13 de 990. 1038. 836. Nous sommes 173.
502. 110. 263. 13 s - 1079. 498. 827. 731. 902. 498.
260. 1117. 267. 450. 902. 33. 1108. le 1101. 261. 847.
620. 855. 362. 1023. d'objet, l'ennemi s'est mépris au
mouvement et ayant voulu marcher sur Moèllen, il a
perdu _3 à _400 hommes, dont _100 tués ; notre perte est
d'une cinquantaine d'hommes. Nous disputons 489.
1044. 420. 836. 941. 122. côté de 380. 624. 432. 450.
urg 681. 1044. 677. 1177. Nous
already in a state of defense. I have a very good beachhead in Hope. I occupy Berchmenlen and Lauenbourg with the Danish corps, the Loison division and the Vichery division. I will keep this Stecknitz line as long as possible, thus covering Holstein and Hamburg. This gives me time to bring in supplies of all kinds. We are already fairly well supplied. I evacuated Ratzeburg on the thirteenth, this position no longer having any purpose; the enemy was mistaken for the movement and, having wanted to march on Moèllen, he lost 3 to 400 men, 100 of whom were killed; our loss is about fifty men. We are also competing for the field near Carlsbourg, on the Weser. We 
                                   – 40 --
occupons 331. 557. Un parti de _50 cosaques russes
vient d'être détruit du côté de Carlsbourg; des 1198
479. 408. 1044 s que j'ai sur le 1013. 1105. 866. 905
me donnent la 525. d'en 1134. 1177. 783. 556.
  " Toutes les caisses étaient vides, aucun moyen de
faire rentrer des contributions, tous les travaux
allaient manquer, je me suis emparé des fonds de la
banque de Hambourg qui 479. 985. 607. 309. 627. de
646. 793. tout cela nous donnera la plus 386. 525.
953. 990. 339. 430. 1171. La 89 est maintenant 434.
1049. 443. 834. Haarbourg 422. 869. 890. fasse un 509.
309. 157. 142. 855. 827. 954. 436. 258. _3/_4 y compris
le 340. 330. 549. 173. 558. bras de l'Elbe. Les 150.
204. 136. 1145. mais jusqu'ici je n'ai qu'à 1200. 512.
741. d'417 et 6 du 759. 173. 594. 432. 828 leur 4.
let's occupy this fort. A party of 50 Russian Cossacks has just been destroyed on the Carlsburg side; movable columns which I have on the lower Elbe give me the facility to draw from it subsistence.

"There are no money, no way to bring in contributions, all the work were going to be lacking, I seized the funds of the Bank of Hamburg which amount to nearly fifteen millions: all this will give us the greatest facility to make everything work. Communication is now established between Hamburg and Haarburg; whatever the weather, a man on foot goes there in an hour and three quarters including crossing the two arms of the Elbe. The Danes are very worried, but so far I can only praise them and especially the Prince of Hesse, their general. 

                                   – 41 --

 " Je ne puis trop me louer 122. 4. 512. 204 du 485.
1024. du 4. 306. 1171. ry et de tout le monde. il 836.
951 un excellent 552. 954. les 73. 173. 276. 75.
 " J'ai l'honneur d'être, Sire, de Votre Majesté le
très fidèle sujet.
		«  Signé : Le Maréchal duc d’Auerstaëdt,
			«  Prince d’Eckmühl. »
“I cannot praise General Loison, the Governor, General Vichery and everyone else too much. There is an excellent spirit in Your Majesty's troops.

"I have the honor to be, Sire, Your Majesty's most proud subject.

"Signed: Marshal Duke of Auerstaëdt. ",
"Prince of Eckmühl. "

This letter was entrusted to M. Lemaire, lieutenant in the 93rd of line, who came from the prisons of Russia. This results from a note existing in the National Archives, without signature and without date. Here is that note:

“Mr. Lemaire, lieutenant in the 93rd of line, coming from the prisons of Russia, having passed through Königsberg, Stockolm and Copenhagen, from where he left on November 9, left Hamburg on November 17 with an encrypted letter from the Prince of Eckmühl. There was 

                                   – 42 --
about 15,000 French with this prince, everything was in good condition. “There are no troops around Hamburg. We met Cossacks two leagues from Haarbourg. The Prince of Sweden was met in Bremen on November 20, going in the direction of Hamburg, with 4,000 men said to be followed by a column of 2,000 men. About 12,000 Russians were found in Osnabruck. Dusbruck is occupied by the enemy. From there to Emrick there was no one. At Dorsten, five leagues from Wesel, four to five thousand Prussians were found. "
Marshal Davout's letter to the Emperor of November 19, 1813 is entirely in code. We will give it as we could translate it: 
		« Le 19 novembre 1813.
 " 265. 306. 597. 1104. 1131. 348. 600. 60. 275. 679.
138. 224. 662. 115. 171. 994. 597. 831.  183. 990. 896.
63. 460. 467. 863. 836. 363. 190. 893. 951. 1167. 659.
117. 535. 679. 238. 688. 902. 772. 1135.

“November 19, 1813.

"I am coming [to see an emissary] (1) who left Lanebourg on [the seventeenth], in [whom I have] all [confidence]; according to his information, the Hanover [diet] is
(1) The words [in square brackets] are not absolutely certain. This could not be checked, due to the group's scarcity of employment in decrypted dispatches. 
                                   – 43 --
772. 1020. 212. 342. 100. 1067. 805. 115. 768. 1131. 902.
153. 344. 363. 495. 918. 825. 486. 85. 1165. 93. 244. 404.
625. 138. 1186. 662. 10. 597. 306. 344. 985. 659. 543.
237. 768. 679. 197. 512. 902. 835. 979. 665. 963. 1062.
645. 646. 18. 452. 491. 1115. 304. 430. 591. 681. 138.
224. 662. 518. 526. 423. 210. 1189. 771. 365. 721.
426. 535. 486. 238. 688. 902. 836. 433. 592. 49. 549.
659. 681. 138. 224. 662. 259. 902. 1069. 319. 418.
184. 548. 985. 210. 1047. 638. 323. 575. 756. 814.
597. 580. 237. 646. 997. 115. 768. 1131. 306. 559.
363. 549. 153. 1022. 1135. 979. 176. 1200. 363. 296.
204. 302. 1095. 825. 323. 564. 319. 100. 902. 418. 518.
740. 967. 737. 191. 73. 816. 792. 1195. 11. 558. 49.
677. 518. 398. 54. 918. 893. 330. 893. 1117. 526. 149.
386. 100. 918. 382. 33. 1117. 1104. 953. 545. 645. 45.
1131. 150. 537. 850. 565. 930. 645. 383. 587. 856. 80.
877. 930. 318. 45. 486. 330. 277. 165. 50. 526. 150.
902. 54.
reconstituted; Vorouzow's corps had been in and around Lanebourg for five or six days. Bulov's coprs was --- from –- the fifteenth and he [continued] his march on Lanebourg. “The Swedes were [announced] by the Hanover [diet] –- directed to Lanebourg --- ulzt --- --- had [not yet] arrived [in the latter] place on the 15th. “Vinzingerode's corps is at [Bre]men --- his vanguard had arrived at Zeut. --- these numbers --- troops are still on both shores. "We were making the greatest efforts to [train] the King of Denmark --- well – xx x xxx the - ble [in] --- --- xx x xxx the King of Saxony --- - - the Danes go 
                                   – 44 --
642. 979. 1069. 663. 543. 265. 348. 292. 417. 1180.
460. 1145. 184. 295. 831. 1189. 771. 756. 600. 913.
518. 398. 265. 1100. 979. 967. 736. 63. 453. 443. 629.
309. 600. 112. 592. 741. 1083. 165. 893. 192. 100. 1096.
172. 309. 134. 1132. 990. 115. 479. 363. 679. 855.
629. 733. 43. 816. 88.
«  J’ai l’honneur d’être avec le plus profond respect, 
de Votre Majesté, le très humble et très obéissant 
serviteur et très fidèle sujet.
	« Signé : Le Maréchal duc d’Auerstaëdt. »
[leave]. I see a lot of concern in them, [all of this signals a departure]. “I [believe] in this news; so Hamburg will be a good diversion. I promise [Your Majesty] that everyone will do [their best] there. "I have the honor to be, with the deepest respect, Your Majesty, the very humble and very obedient servant and very faithful subject.

" Signed: Marshal Duke of Auerstaëdt. "

                                   – 45 --
The third letter was encrypted only at the beginning and gave neither place nor date in the clear. 
  " 659. 731. 885. 902. 309. 670. 1117. 319. 100. 228.
1013. 993. 731. 956. 115. 171. 109. 449. 165. 398. 95.
772.
  " J’ai l'honneur d’adresse par duplicata à Votre
Majesté un billet 831. 106. 191. 1006. 930. 984. 772.
516. 584. 576. 513. 575. 756. 858. à 11. 433. 24. 733.
695. 627. 671. 1137. 54. 659. 1178. 162. 731. 297.
1117. 460. 600. 425. 173. 73. 618. 564. vu 489. 291.
772. 969. 620. 893. 659. 322. 365. 1131. 1. 122. 1110.
de Vinsen et de Haarbourg 265. 836. 893. 810. 1087.
1136. 220. 1181. 54. 1190. 856. 727. 893. 1041. 1010.
621. 1111. 348. 318. 770. 827. 731. 1189. 1117. 1104.
“Scvartzemberck, [December 1st].
"Sire,
"I have the honor to address a duplicate to Your Majesty a note which --- ---- ---- xx x x --- rela[tion] of [events] in this country. The --- a --- pre --- [even] we see an increase in troops. [We] also saw [some] reconnaissance from --- on the side of Vinsen and Haarbourg.
“I reiterate the [request] --- --- to be allowed here to fill the vacancies.

In plain text:

“I also request in the interest of Your Majesty's service that a commission composed of generals 
                                   – 46 --
be authorized to award decorations for outstanding deeds; of course, that the number be limited. Two people have done great service here. It is Colonel Pouthon, by the immense works he has done and which makes Hamburg a stronghold. I ask Your Majesty for this officer a rank as proof of his benevolence. The second is Mr. Jousselin, chief engineer of bridges and roads of the Department of the Elbe mouths; he combines much knowledge of his state with a character of extremely firm will. In the space of 4 or 5 months, he has built a bridge as beautiful as it is good, made a causeway and ferries which pass by rope and ensure the communication between Hamburg and Haarbourg, whatever the weather. Communication is straight and in an hour and a half a man on foot goes there. I ask for him, Sire, the only reward that is desired by men of his character, it is your decoration.

"I have the honor to be with the utmost respect,
"From Your Majesty
"The very humble, very obedient servant
“And very faithful subject.
"Signed: Marshal Duke of Auerstaëdt. " 

                                   – 47--
The letter of December 4 was entirely in plain text, Marshal Davout no longer wishing to cipher. He assumed the code was known to the enemy, since the King of Bavaria had it...