Ellis to Forsyth, Mexico, 1836–1839

At a glanceExisting decipherment · complete

The letters: Powhatan Ellis, United States chargé d’affaires and later minister in Mexico, to John Forsyth, Secretary of State: the despatches of Mayeleven despatches of May–December 1836ndash;December 1836 and No. 9 of 16 November 1839, each with a passage in code.
Where: National Archives (NARA), RG 59, Despatches from US Ministers to Mexico, vols. 7–9, microfilm M97 rolls 8–10. Catalogue no. 653, now removed from the open list.
The cipher: Adams’s St Petersburg code of 1811: about 1,600 numbers for syllables, words and names (1385 the, 1576 of). Ellis adds commas and stops (1261, 1264) and a few values of his own.
How the text was obtained: From the Department’s decipherments filmed with the despatches, and for 26 October 1836 from Bosch García’s printed edition (1984). Decoded with the JQA table, the groups confirm each text.
What it says: In 1836, the Mexican side of the Texas war: Santa Anna captured, a new campaign planned, panic in the army. In 1839, a Texian incursion towards Matamoros: “A war with Texas under such circumstances will be decidedly popular.”
Still open: One group of 26 October 1836 (285, probably a null) and one group of 1839 that is illegible on the film.
Credit: Michael Brackx (issue #120): the survey, the transcription of all 36 coded pages and the Ellis values. WAINUT (PR #107): No. 9 of 1839, transcribed and aligned with its clear copy.

Four lines of numerical code in Ellis's hand, frame 0302 — No. 9, 16 November 1839, frame 0302: `1264 / 1501 498 1190 1372 651 / 692 480 31 46 1067 1261 / 1186 1310 809 1028 812 897 / 1148 1101 451 1455 1190 1501` — “. A war with Te-x-as under such circumstance-s , will be de-ci-ded-ly po-p-u-lar with a…” Image: NARA, RG 59, Despatches from US Ministers to Mexico vol. 9, M97 roll 10 frame 0302, via the National Archives Catalog.

01 The despatches

Powhatan Ellis (1790–1863), a former senator and judge from Mississippi, was sent to Mexico as chargé d’affaires in 1836, in the months after San Jacinto. He left at the end of the year, came back as minister in 1839, and wrote the passages that mattered in code. The catalogue entry (no. 653) came from a sweep of NARA’s scans that found pages of bare numbers with no words on them.

Michael Brackx (issue #120) went through the three microfilm rolls. Coded pages, by despatch:

vol. 7 (roll 8): 19 May 1836 (frames 0015–0019), 28 May (0025–0027), 25 June (0066–0067, 0071), 3 August (0123–0124), 7 September (0200), 24 September (0203–0204), a page with a pasted Cypher slip (0310–0311), 26 October (0323–0324);
vol. 8 (roll 9): 30 November (0098–0099), 14 December (0208–0209), 21 December 1836 (0211);
vol. 9 (roll 10): No. 9, 16 November 1839 (0298, 0299, 0302, 0303).

He found the Department’s decipherments filmed with them: clean copies headed (Deciphered) or Cypher, clear copies, and clear text pencilled between the code lines. The 19 May clean copy is on frames 0020–0023, the 1839 copy on vol. 9 frames 0300–0301. Only 26 October 1836 has none on the film. Carlos Bosch García’s Documentos de la relación de México con los Estados Unidos III (UNAM, 1984) prints most of the 1836 despatches with the coded passages in clear, 26 October included.

02 The code

Ellis used the code John Quincy Adams took to St Petersburg in 1809–11. Its table was rebuilt in this project from the clerk’s decodes and Ford’s printed decipherments of Adams’s despatches (Adams at St Petersburg). The same table reads Crawford’s Paris letter of 1813, Appleton’s of 1823 and Everett’s of 1825, so the Department kept this code in use for nearly thirty years.

Applied unchanged, the table gives a value to 473 of the 519 groups of 1839 and 85 of the 90 groups of 26 October 1836. The rest are Ellis’s own usage. 1261 is a comma and 1264 a full stop; the table has no comma, and gives 1264 as gar. 401 is n (table: sian), 1067 s, and 952–959 are the digits. Brackx fitted 97 such values on the 19 May passage. With them, the words recovered from the groups alone rise from 0.826 to 0.942 against the clerk’s copy. On the other passages the gain is small (0.815 to 0.833), so the values are largely specific to 19 May. They are kept as an overlay on the table, not as edits to it.

03 No. 9, 16 November 1839

The text follows the groups, with the Department’s clear copy (frames 0300–0301) filling the groups the table lacks. The copy has “very respectable sources”, the groups “a most respectable source”; the copy’s misspelling “Toops” repeats the groups’ spelling.

Since my despatch under date of the 14th instant, information has reached this capital, by express, that a body of Texian troops has crossed the line, and has been joined by a portion of disaffected Mexicans, with a view, it is thought, to attack Matamoros. I have not been able to ascertain the number of troops embodied for that purpose, rumour fixes it at between eight and fifteen hundred men, principally Mexicans. The government here is taking strong and prompt measures to meet this state of things, and will immediately put in motion, under General Arista, an army of four thousand men, to march to the frontier, there to act as circumstances may require. I cannot vouch for the correctness of these statements. They, however, come to me through a most respectable source, and are of sufficient importance to induce me to make them known to you as early as possible.

A war with Texas under such circumstances will be decidedly popular with a large portion of the Mexican people, and I must believe unwise councils have influenced the public men of that country in projecting such a measure. The insurgents who were lately in arms against this government have either capitulated to the public authorities or have been dispersed by the force of the military, and in the event of an invasion like the one suggested, I am persuaded all parties will silence their personal and political animosities, in order to meet with undivided energy the common enemy.

It is a favorite measure, I understand, of Mr. Cañedo, the Minister of Foreign Relations, to get up a general Congress of the independent Spanish American States, to consult, and provide for the general welfare of the whole. So far we learn, it is not likely to succeed.

Arista left Mexico City for the north on 17 November 1839, the day after the despatch (Nance, After San Jacinto).

04 26 October 1836, the passage with no decipherment on the film

The clear text ending 'a guerilla system of warfare.' followed by columns of code numbers — Frame 0323: the clear text ends “…into a guerilla system of warfare.” and the code begins with 4 *however*, 114 369 *confide-nt*, 1385 1576 330 1021 *the of-fi-cer(s)*. The small marks under some groups are Ellis’s. Image: NARA, RG 59, Despatches from US Ministers to Mexico vol. 7, M97 roll 8 frame 0323, via the National Archives Catalog.

Transcribed here from frames 0323 and 0324, independently of Brackx’s transcription; the two agree on every group of frame 0323. The passage does not end at the foot of 0323, where the catalogue’s frame list and Brackx’s file stop: the first line of frame 0324 carries three more groups, 999 1384 205 from that power, before the clear “So far as I can ascertain perfect tranquility reigns throughout the Republic.”

However confident the officers may be of their success in the ensuing campaign, there is no doubt but that a panic already prevails among the soldiers; and an [285] evident disappointment is manifested both by the government and the people, because of recent information received from England, which leaves them no hope to anticipate[?] succour from that power.

89 of the 90 groups give sense in this reading. 285 has no value and stands before 824 dent; Brackx takes it for a null. 1114 pat rests on one other context (des-pat-ches, 3 August) and is marked [?]. The groups have “no doubt but that” where the print has “no doubt that”. 614 is manifest as in the table: Brackx’s tentative know for 614 does not fit here.

05 Corrections

7 September 1836. Bosch García says the last three lines of the coded passage are not deciphered. The clerk pencilled the clear text over the first four code lines only. The bare lines decode with the table as the end of the sentence: “favor of an over-thr-ow of the present con-so-li-da-ted form of govern-ment” (Brackx). Nothing is missing.
26 October 1836 continues onto frame 0324 (three groups, above).
The 1839 groups. Brackx and WAINUT transcribed No. 9 independently; both have 519 groups and differ on 14. Read again on full-resolution crops, nine stand as WAINUT has them (1557, 45, 1261, 1510, 457 twice, 1501, 1075, 416) and five as Brackx has them (668, 1450, 438, 833, 731). At 0298.07 the page has 1557, where the sense (t-ro-o-p-s) needs 1551 o; the clerk wrote “Toops”.
401 = n. The two contributors disagreed (n or ican). In 1839 it closes fron-n-tier, know-n and America-n, and in 1836 campaig-n. n fits every case.

06 What remains open

26 October 1836, group 285: no value; one further context (19 May), where the print also has no word. Probably a null.
1839, the last group of line 0303.03 (560 or 500): illegible on the film; the clear copy has “enemy”. Two uncertain readings: 0303.02 833 (first digit under an ink blot) and 0303.09 731 (middle digit 3 or 2); both give the copy’s word.
Brackx’s transcriptions of the 1836 pages are in his gist until he agrees to their copying into the repository; the 1836 texts themselves are in the decipherments and in print.
Manning’s Diplomatic Correspondence … Inter-American Affairs vol. 8 (1937), which may print the 1836–39 despatches from the Department’s copies, was not checked.

Full texts

The transcription and the decryption of every document on this page, so that the reading can be used and checked. Short files are shown here; all are in the repository.

Ellis to Forsyth, Mexico, 26 Oct 1836, coded close (catalogue 653), M97 roll 8 frames 0323-0324

The Mexican officers are confident of the coming campaign against Texas, but panic already runs through the soldiers, and government and people are disappointed because news from England leaves them no hope of help from that power.

Transcription

ellis1836oct26_transcription.txt

# Catalogue 653: Powhatan Ellis to John Forsyth, Mexico, 26 Oct 1836, the coded close of the despatch.
# NARA RG 59, Despatches from US Ministers to Mexico vol. 7, microfilm M97 roll 8 (naId 189101351), frame 0323:
# https://catalog.archives.gov/medialz/dc-metro/rg-059/603720/M97/M97-008/M97-008-0323.jpg
# The page opens in clear ("penetrate into the enemy's country, and of changing the plan of operations heretofore
# adopted into a guerilla system of warfare.") and goes into code after "warfare." to the foot of the page.
# The only one of Ellis's coded passages with no decipherment on the film (Brackx, issue #120); the decoded text is
# printed in Bosch García, Documentos de la relación de México con los Estados Unidos III (UNAM, 1984).
# Read from the full frame and crops by the maintainer, 27 Oct 2026 (independently of Brackx's ct_f323.txt; the two
# agree on every group). One token per group, as written. The first column is frame and line.
# Marks under a group, kept as suffixes (meaning not established; the decode does not depend on them):
#   * = small open diamond or circle under the last digit; + = small cross under it; v = tick under it;
#   ^ = caret under it.
0323.01: 4
0323.02: 114 369 1385 1576
0323.03: 330 1021* 627 1310
0323.04: 1576 1386 385 1022+
0323.05: 1426 1385 545 387
0323.06: 1429 1004 1102 1418
0323.07: 401 1261 1391 1436
0323.08: 352 799 1301 1361
0323.09: 1384 1501 1106 1404
0323.10: 1535 733 208 453*
0323.11: 1548 1385 249 1452
0323.12: 833 269 1262 668
0323.13: 1549 285v 824 845
0323.14: 675 1149 637 1436
0323.15: 614 520 1349 792
0323.16: 1385 1229 637 668
0323.17: 1122 1261 1315 1576
0323.18: 731 1019 1426 981
0323.19: 625 736^ 999 1290
0323.20: 1176 587 458* 1387
0323.21: 352 195 569 1549 560
0323.22: 1028 1114 501 385 1053v
# Frame 0324 (left page), top line, before the clear "So far as I can ascertain perfect tranquility reigns throughout
# the Republic." and the signature: the last three groups of the coded passage (not in the catalogue's frame list).
0324.01: 999 1384 205

Decryption

ellis1836oct26_decryption.txt

# Ellis to Forsyth, Mexico, 26 Oct 1836 (catalogue 653): decryption line by line against ellis1836oct26_transcription.txt.
# Output of: python decode.py ellis1836oct26_transcription.txt (../jqa/code_table.tsv unchanged; number=value/grade, ? = no value).
# Ellis values not in the table, used in ellis1836oct26_reading.md: 401 n, 1261 comma, 1262 semicolon, 1114 pat [?]; 285 open.

0323.01  4=however/H
0323.02  114=confided/H  369=nt/C  1385=the/H  1576=of/H
0323.03  330=fi/H  1021=cer*/H  627=may/H  1310=be/H
0323.04  1576=of/H  1386=their/H  385=suc/C  1022=ces+/H
0323.05  1426=in/H  1385=the/H  545=en/H  387=sue/C
0323.06  1429=ing/H  1004=cam/C  1102=pa/M  1418=ig/C
0323.07  401=sian/H  1261=?  1391=there/H  1436=is/H
0323.08  352=no/H  799=doubt/M  1301=b/C  1361=t/M
0323.09  1384=that/H  1501=a/H  1106=pa/M  1404=ic/M
0323.10  1535=al/H  733=ready/H  208=pre/H  453=vail*/C
0323.11  1548=among/C  1385=the/H  249=so/H  1452=ll/C
0323.12  833=di/H  269=ers/M  1262=?  668=and/H
0323.13  1549=an/H  285=?v  824=dent/M  845=dis/H
0323.14  675=ap/C  1149=point/M  637=ment/H  1436=is/H
0323.15  614=manifest/C  520=ed/H  1349=both/H  792=by/H
0323.16  1385=the/H  1229=govern/H  637=ment/H  668=and/H
0323.17  1122=people/H  1261=?  1315=because/H  1576=of/H
0323.18  731=re/H  1019=cen/H  1426=in/H  981=for/H
0323.19  625=mation/H  736=received^/H  999=from/H  1290=england/H
0323.20  1176=which/H  587=lea/M  458=ve*/C  1387=them/H
0323.21  352=no/H  195=hope/H  569=to/H  1549=an/H  560=ti/H
0323.22  1028=ci/H  1114=?  501=e/M  385=suc/C  1053=courtv/C
0324.01  999=from/H  1384=that/H  205=power/H
# 85 of 90 groups have a value in ../jqa/code_table.tsv

Reading

ellis1836oct26_reading.md

# Ellis to Forsyth, Mexico, 26 Oct 1836 (catalogue 653): the coded passage as sentences

English, so no translation. Groups: `ellis1836oct26_transcription.txt` (90 groups, M97 roll 8 frames 0323 and the top
line of 0324). Decode: `python decode.py ellis1836oct26_transcription.txt` (`../jqa/code_table.tsv`, unchanged), 85 of
90 groups with a value. This is the one coded passage of Ellis's 1836-40 despatches with no decipherment on the film;
Bosch García (*Documentos de la relación de México con los Estados Unidos* III, UNAM 1984) prints the text, ending at
"succor from that power". The reading below follows the groups and agrees with the print; where the groups add or
lack a word, it is noted.

## Reading

[Clear, frame 0323: "... penetrate into the enemy's country, and of changing the plan of operations heretofore
adopted into a guerilla system of warfare."]

However confident the officers may be of their success in the ensuing campaign, there is no doubt but that a panic
already prevails among the soldiers; and an [285] evident disappointment is manifested both by the government and
the people, because of recent information received from England, which leaves them no hope to anticipate[?] succour
from that power.

[Clear, frame 0324: "So far as I can ascertain perfect tranquility reigns throughout the Republic. There is nothing
doing in Congress." Signed Powhatan Ellis.]

## Groups and values

| line | groups | read as |
|---|---|---|
| 0323.01 | 4 | however |
| 0323.02 | 114 369 1385 1576 | confide-nt the of- |
| 0323.03 | 330 1021 627 1310 | -fi-cer(s) may be |
| 0323.04 | 1576 1386 385 1022 | of their suc-ces(s) |
| 0323.05 | 1426 1385 545 387 | in the en-sue- |
| 0323.06 | 1429 1004 1102 1418 | -ing cam-pa-ig- |
| 0323.07 | 401 1261 1391 1436 | -n , there is |
| 0323.08 | 352 799 1301 1361 | no doubt b(u)-t |
| 0323.09 | 1384 1501 1106 1404 | that a pa(n)-ic |
| 0323.10 | 1535 733 208 453 | al-ready pre-vail(s) |
| 0323.11 | 1548 1385 249 1452 | among the so-l(l)- |
| 0323.12 | 833 269 1262 668 | -di-ers ; and |
| 0323.13 | 1549 285 824 845 | an [285] (evi)dent dis- |
| 0323.14 | 675 1149 637 1436 | -ap-point-ment is |
| 0323.15 | 614 520 1349 792 | manifest-ed both by |
| 0323.16 | 1385 1229 637 668 | the govern-ment and |
| 0323.17 | 1122 1261 1315 1576 | people , because of |
| 0323.18 | 731 1019 1426 981 | re-cen(t) in-for- |
| 0323.19 | 625 736 999 1290 | -mation received from England |
| 0323.20 | 1176 587 458 1387 | which lea-ve(s) them |
| 0323.21 | 352 195 569 1549 560 | no hope to an-ti- |
| 0323.22 | 1028 1114 501 385 1053 | -ci-pat[?]-e suc-cour(t) |
| 0324.01 | 999 1384 205 | from that power |

Notes on single groups:

- **401** = *n* (table: *sian*). Ellis uses it for *n* in 1839 as well (fron-n-tier, know-n, America-n; NOTES.md) and
  Brackx found it in 1836 (an-nou-n-cing, Sa-n-ta).
- **1261** comma, **1262** semicolon: the punctuation groups (1261 fixed by the 1839 clear copy; 1262 by Brackx from
  19 May 1836). The table has no value for them.
- **1301 1361** = *b-t*, read as "but": "no doubt but that". The print has "no doubt that"; the groups have the word.
- **1106** = *pa* (M) gives "pa-ic": Ellis's code drops the *n* of "panic" or 1106 is *pan* here.
- **285** has no value in the table and stands where "evi-" would go before 824 *dent*. Brackx takes it as a null
  (it also stands where the print has no word on 19 May, "stop to this [285] by"). Left open.
- **1114** = *pat* is Brackx's value (des-pat-ches, 3 Aug 1836); it has no value in the table. Marked [?].
- **1053** = *court* (C), read *cour* in "succour". The group carries a tick under it, as 285 does; what the ticks mean
  is not established.
- **614** = *manifest* (table, C) is right here ("manifested" in the print). Brackx's tentative value *know* for 614
  (ac-know-ledge, one context) would give "known": it is a second value at most, not a replacement.
- The marks under 1021, 1022, 453, 736 and 458 (diamond, cross, caret) all fall on groups whose table value already
  reads; they may be Ellis's own signs for -s or for a plural (officer-s, succes-s, prevail-s, leave-s), but that rests
  on four cases and is not used.

## Measure

90 groups. 85 have a value in the table; with the three punctuation and Ellis values (401 *n*, 1261, 1262) and 1114
*pat* [?], 89 of 90 give sense in the reading. Open: 285 (one group). Read share 89/90 = 0.989 (0.978 without
1114). Wrong-key controls (`python decode.py ellis1836oct26_transcription.txt --controls`): function-word rate 0.26
for the table, 0.01-0.07 for shifted groups and permuted tables.

Ellis to Forsyth, No. 9, Mexico, 16 Nov 1839 (catalogue 653), M97 roll 10 frames 0298-0303

The US minister in Mexico reports that Texian troops with disaffected Mexicans have crossed the line, apparently to attack Matamoros, and that the government is sending General Arista to the frontier with 4,000 men; a war with Texas would unite the Mexican parties; the foreign minister Cañedo wants a general congress of the Spanish American states, unlikely to succeed. The Department's 1839 clear copy is in the same file.

Transcription

ellis1839_transcription.txt

# Catalogue 653: Powhatan Ellis to John Forsyth, No. 9, Legation of the United States, Mexico, 16 Nov 1839.
# NARA RG 59, Despatches from US Ministers to Mexico vol. 9, microfilm M97 roll 10 (naId 189102194). Code on frames
# 0298 (after the heading "No. 9 ... Sir,"), 0299, 0302 and 0303 (before the clear closing); the Department's clear
# copy (words only) is on frames 0300-0301, filmed between the code leaves. Frame URL pattern:
# https://catalog.archives.gov/medialz/dc-metro/rg-059/603720/M97/M97-010/M97-010-0298.jpg
# Read from crops of the frames; every line checked a second time, independently, on full-frame views and about
# 15 lines on enlarged crops (0298.07-10, 0299.11, 0299.21-22, 0302.07, 0302.24-26, 0303.02-03, 0303.09,
# 0303.14-17): no disagreement.
# The first column is the line: frame and line number. One token per code group, as written.
# Marks: [ins: ...] = groups written above the line with a caret; + = mark under the group (in 0302.24 the mark
#        under 1111 may be a small circle); o = superscript o after the group (-s); ? after a group = uncertain reading.
# Uncertain: 0298.06 657 (perhaps 651), 0299.02 1263 (perhaps 1261), 0303.03 last group 560 or 500 (the clear copy has
#        "enemy"; both stay open), 0303.02 833 (first digit under an ink blot), 0303.09 731 (middle digit 3 or 2).
# Settled 27 Oct 2026 against Michael Brackx's independent transcription (issue #120), on full-resolution crops of the
#        frames: 14 single groups differed; 9 stand as first read here (0298.07 1557, 0299.04 45, 0299.07 1261,
#        0299.16 1510, 0299.18 and 0299.22 457, 0302.04 1501, 0302.18 1075, 0303.06 416) and 5 follow Brackx
#        (0298.09 668, 0299.06 1450, 0299.07 438, 0303.02 833, 0303.09 731). See NOTES.md.
0298.01: 235 167 849 480 807
0298.02: 1576 1385 [ins:952 955 1382] 1426 263 369 1261
0298.03: 1426 983 864 1254 732 1023
0298.04: 520 1399 1009 1401 1366 1261
0298.05: 792 297 1261 1384 1501 1344
0298.06: 1289 1576 1372 657 1401 1549
0298.07: 1361 1486 1557 1101 1067 1254
0298.08: 1001 713 917 1067 520 1385 880
0298.09: 417 1261 668 1254 1317 1432 520
0298.10: 792 1501 1152 565 1576 34 520
0298.11: 628 651 1401 1006 1067 1261
0298.12: 1190 1501 469 1261 1440 1436
0298.13: 552 1261 569 699 1362 1032
0298.14: 623 1001 141 1486 1067 1264
0298.15: 1401 1259 360 1317 1003 569
0298.16: 692 1021 1364 1385 374 1576
0298.17: 1361 1551 1551 1101 1067 539
0299.01: 1344 833 520 981 1384 229
0299.02: 713 1155 1263 1499 159 349
0299.03: 271 1440 699 1331 529 668
0299.04: 336 43 636 1261 45 897 628
0299.05: 651 1401 1006 1067 1264 1385
0299.06: 1229 637 178 1436 1362 1450
0299.07: 381 438 668 224 1101 1261
0299.08: 72 1067 569 628 501 1361
0299.09: 1399 264 1576 1395 1067
0299.10: 1261 668 1186 1424 632 1372
0299.11: 897 231 1426 155 1261 1180
0299.12: 1208 1501 1464 1067 1362
0299.13: 1261 1549 687 1576 987 553
0299.14: 636 1261 569 618 569 1385
0299.15: 998 401 560 1300 1261 1391
0299.16: 569 1510 692 46 1067 627
0299.17: 731 63 1264 1401 1006 360
0299.18: 484 457 1023 981 1385 1046
0299.19: 735 1361 430 1576 1392 264
0299.20: 637 1067 1264 1393 1261
0299.21: 4 1264 1043 569 628 557
0299.22: 457 1215 1501 153 749 1503
0299.23: 249 1490 1016 1261 668 684
0299.24: 1576 388 330 1028 1293 1424
0299.25: [ins:1153] 1550 569 1426 1279 628 569
0299.26: 611 1387 64 401 569 663
0299.27: 692 508 897 692 1157 586
0302.00: 1264
0302.01: 1501 498 1190 1372 651
0302.02: 692 480 31 46 1067 1261
0302.03: 1186 1310 809 1028 812 897
0302.04: 1148 1101 451 1455 1190 1501
0302.05: 1456 1152 565 1576 1385 628
0302.06: 651 1401 1006 1122 1261 668
0302.07: 1401 161 262 1310 880 501 458
0302.08: 478 1189 1048 1067 1259 1426
0302.09: 974 545 1017 1385 230 1001
0302.10: 636 1576 1384 1050 1426 219
0302.11: 1411 1429 31 1501 72 1264
0302.12: 1385 1426 395 1205 659 1067
0302.13: 1179 1169 1458 897 1426 686
0302.14: 1067 1523 1399 1229 637 1259
0302.15: 533 1002 1133 451 1453 1373
0302.16: 569 1385 230 1001 866 1400
0302.17: 1464 560 271 908 1259 1317
0302.18: 845 1123 1075 801 792 1385
0302.19: 982 1576 1385 647 1401 1362
0302.20: 949 1262 668 1426 1385 283
0302.21: 1576 1549 1426 452 236 882
0302.22: 1385 1594 389 1213 520 1261
0302.23: 1401 1544 1123 383 1501 812
0302.24: 1535+ 1111+ 1186 1098 594 1386
0302.25: 1125 1535 668 1148 880
0302.26: 560 1003 672 152 1401 560
0303.01: 271 1261 1426 911 569 628
0303.02: 275 1190 479 833? 467 812
0303.03: 545 1300 1241 1385 107 560
0303.04: 1264
0303.05: 1440 1436 1501 318 1442
0303.06: 72 1261 1401 480 263 416
0303.07: 1261 1576 601 713 1264 1006
0303.08: 501 854 1261 1385 21 1576
0303.09: 68 731? 1459o 1261 569 1214
0303.10: 487 1501 1208 116 1576 1385
0303.11: 1426 827 1293 256+ 1438 65
0303.12: 401 264o 1261 569 120 1261
0303.13: 668 219o 467 807 981 1385 1208
0303.14: 1167 313 501 1576 1385 1180
0303.15: 1264 249 313 629 587 1485
0303.16: 1261 1440 1436 260 882 897
0303.17: 569 385 1017+ 1264

Decryption

ellis1839_decryption.txt

# Ellis to Forsyth, No. 9, Mexico, 16 Nov 1839 (catalogue 653): decryption line by line against ellis1839_transcription.txt.
# Each line: the groups with their value in ../jqa/code_table.tsv (output of python decode.py ellis1839_transcription.txt;
# number=value/grade, ? = no value), then after => the syllables as read. {x} = value taken from the Department's
# 1839 clear copy (frames 0300-0301, ellis1839_clearcopy.txt) where the table has no value or a value that does not fit;
# 1261 = comma and 1264 = full stop (fixed by the clear copy). Syllables in ( ) are cut short in the groups.

0298.01  235=since/H  167=my/H  849=dispatched/C  480=under/H  807=ly/C
   => since my despatch under da(te)
0298.02  1576=of/H  1385=the/H  952=flat/M  955=?  1382=th/I  1426=in/H  263=stat/M  369=nt/C  1261=?
   => of the 14 th in-sta-nt ,
0298.03  1426=in/H  983=form/H  864=ation/H  1254=has/H  732=read/M  1023=proach/M
   => in-form-ation has rea-ch
0298.04  520=ed/H  1399=this/H  1009=cap/C  1401=i/H  1366=take/M  1261=?
   => -ed this cap-i-{tal} ,
0298.05  792=by/H  297=ex/H  1261=?  1384=that/H  1501=a/H  1344=bo/C
   => by ex-{press} , that a bo-
0298.06  1289=ody/M  1576=of/H  1372=te/H  657=yet/H  1401=i/H  1549=an/H
   => -dy of Te-{x}-i-an
0298.07  1361=t/M  1486=ro/C  1557=mance/M  1101=P/C  1067=say/M  1254=has/H
   => t-ro-o-p-{s} has
0298.08  1001=c/H  713=port/M  917=?  1067=say/M  520=ed/H  1385=the/H  880=li/H
   => {c-ro-ss}-ed the li-
0298.09  417=ne/H  1261=?  668=and/H  1254=has/H  1317=been/H  1432=join/C  520=ed/H
   => -ne , and has been join-ed
0298.10  792=by/H  1501=a/H  1152=?  565=tion/H  1576=of/H  34=?  520=ed/H
   => by a {por}-tion of {disaffect}-ed
0298.11  628=me/H  651=those/H  1401=i/H  1006=can/H  1067=say/M  1261=?
   => me-{x}-i-can-{s} ,
0298.12  1190=with/H  1501=a/H  469=views/H  1261=?  1440=it/H  1436=is/H
   => with a view , it is
0298.13  552=thought/H  1261=?  569=to/H  699=at/H  1362=ta/H  1032=ck/C
   => thought , to at-ta-ck
0298.14  623=?  1001=c/H  141=mo/H  1486=ro/C  1067=say/M  1264=gar/H
   => {Ma-ta}-mo-ro-{s} .
0298.15  1401=i/H  1259=have/H  360=not/H  1317=been/H  1003=cal/H  569=to/H
   => I have not been {able} to
0298.16  692=as/H  1021=cer/H  1364=tain/H  1385=the/H  374=number/H  1576=of/H
   => as-cer-tain the number of
0298.17  1361=t/M  1551=o/C  1551=o/C  1101=P/C  1067=say/M  539=em/H
   => t-o-o-p-{s} em-
0299.01  1344=bo/C  833=di/H  520=ed/H  981=for/H  1384=that/H  229=pu/C
   => -bo-di-ed for that pu(r)-
0299.02  713=port/M  1155=port/M  1263=?  1499=ru/H  159=mour/H  349=fix/C
   => -{r-pose} , ru-mour fix-
0299.03  271=es/C  1440=it/H  699=at/H  1331=between/H  529=ed/M  668=and/H
   => -es it at between {eight} and
0299.04  336=?  43=?  636=men/H  1261=?  45=principal/H  897=ly/H  628=me/H
   => {fifteen} {hundred} men , principal-ly Me-
0299.05  651=those/H  1401=i/H  1006=can/H  1067=say/M  1264=gar/H  1385=the/H
   => -{x}-i-can-{s} . The
0299.06  1229=govern/H  637=ment/H  178=here/C  1436=is/H  1362=ta/H  1450=king/C
   => govern-ment here is ta-king
0299.07  381=st/C  438=ng/C  668=and/H  224=pro/M  1101=P/C  1261=?
   => st-(ro)ng and pro-{mpt} ,
0299.08  72=measure/M  1067=say/M  569=to/H  628=me/H  501=e/M  1361=t/M
   => measure-{s} to me-e-t
0299.09  1399=this/H  264=state/H  1576=of/H  1395=thing/M  1067=say/M
   => this state of thing-{s}
0299.10  1261=?  668=and/H  1186=will/H  1424=im/H  632=medi/C  1372=te/H
   => , and will im-medi-{a}-te-
0299.11  897=ly/H  231=put/C  1426=in/H  155=?  1261=?  1180=whole/C
   => -ly put in {motion} , {under}
0299.12  1208=general/H  1501=a/H  1464=ri/H  1067=say/M  1362=ta/H
   => general A-ri-{s}-ta
0299.13  1261=?  1549=an/H  687=army/H  1576=of/H  987=po/M  553=ty/M
   => , an army of {four} {thousand}
0299.14  636=men/H  1261=?  569=to/H  618=march/C  569=to/H  1385=the/H
   => men , to march to the
0299.15  998=fron/C  401=sian/H  560=ti/H  1300=er/C  1261=?  1391=there/H
   => fron-{n}-ti-er , there
0299.16  569=to/H  1510=act/H  692=as/H  46=circumstance/C  1067=say/M  627=may/H
   => to act as circumstance-{s} may
0299.17  731=re/H  63=quir/H  1264=gar/H  1401=i/H  1006=can/H  360=not/H
   => re-quir(e) . I can not
0299.18  484=vo/H  457=vi/H  1023=proach/M  981=for/H  1385=the/H  1046=cor/H
   => vo-{u}-{ch} for the cor-
0299.19  735=re/H  1361=t/M  430=ness/M  1576=of/H  1392=these/H  264=state/H
   => -re-{c}-t-ness of these state-
0299.20  637=ment/H  1067=say/M  1264=gar/H  1393=they/H  1261=?
   => -ment-{s} . They ,
0299.21  4=however/H  1264=gar/H  1043=come/H  569=to/H  628=me/H  557=those/H
   => however , come to me {thr}-
0299.22  457=vi/H  1215=?  1501=a/H  153=most/H  749=respect/H  1503=able/H
   => -{ou}-{gh} a most (clear copy: very) respect-able
0299.23  249=so/H  1490=?  1016=ce/H  1261=?  668=and/H  684=are/H
   => so-{ur}-ce , and are
0299.24  1576=of/H  388=suf/M  330=fi/H  1028=ci/H  1293=tent/H  1424=im/H
   => of suf-fi-ci-ent im-
0299.25  1153=port/M  1550=ance/H  569=to/H  1426=in/H  1279=duc/M  628=me/H  569=to/H
   => {por}-tance to in-duc(e) me to
0299.26  611=make/H  1387=them/H  64=know/H  401=sian/H  569=to/H  663=you/H
   => make them know-{n} to you
0299.27  692=as/H  508=rect/M  897=ly/H  692=as/H  1157=poss/M  586=le/H
   => as ear-ly as poss-{ible}
0302.00  1264=gar/H
   => .
0302.01  1501=a/H  498=war/H  1190=with/H  1372=te/H  651=those/H
   => A war with Te-{x}
0302.02  692=as/H  480=under/H  31=such/H  46=circumstance/C  1067=say/M  1261=?
   => -as under such circumstance-{s} ,
0302.03  1186=will/H  1310=be/H  809=de/H  1028=ci/H  812=ded/H  897=ly/H
   => will be de-ci-ded-ly
0302.04  1148=po/H  1101=P/C  451=u/C  1455=lar/C  1190=with/H  1501=a/H
   => po-p-u-lar with a
0302.05  1456=large/H  1152=?  565=tion/H  1576=of/H  1385=the/H  628=me/H
   => large {por}-tion of the Me-
0302.06  651=those/H  1401=i/H  1006=can/H  1122=people/H  1261=?  668=and/H
   => -{x}-i-can people , and
0302.07  1401=i/H  161=mu/H  262=st/H  1310=be/H  880=li/H  501=e/M  458=ve/C
   => I mu-st be-li-e-ve
0302.08  478=cal/M  1189=wise/H  1048=Council/H  1067=say/M  1259=have/H  1426=in/H
   => {un}-wise council-{s} have in-
0302.09  974=flu/H  545=en/H  1017=ced/H  1385=the/H  230=pub/H  1001=c/H
   => -flu-en-ced the pub-{lic}
0302.10  636=men/H  1576=of/H  1384=that/H  1050=country/H  1426=in/H  219=pro/H
   => men of that country in pro-
0302.11  1411=ject/H  1429=ing/H  31=such/H  1501=a/H  72=measure/M  1264=gar/H
   => -ject-ing such a measure .
0302.12  1385=the/H  1426=in/H  395=sur/H  1205=ge/C  659=ments/H  1067=say/M
   => The in-sur-ge-{nt}-{s}
0302.13  1179=who/H  1169=were/H  1458=late/H  897=ly/H  1426=in/H  686=arm/C
   => who were late-ly in arm-
0302.14  1067=say/M  1523=against/H  1399=this/H  1229=govern/H  637=ment/H  1259=have/H
   => -{s} against this govern-ment have
0302.15  533=either/C  1002=ca/H  1133=pit/C  451=u/C  1453=la/H  1373=ted/H
   => either ca-pit-u-la-ted
0302.16  569=to/H  1385=the/H  230=pub/H  1001=c/H  866=au/M  1400=tho/H
   => to the pub-{lic} au-tho-
0302.17  1464=ri/H  560=ti/H  271=es/C  908=or/H  1259=have/H  1317=been/H
   => -ri-ti-es or have been
0302.18  845=dis/H  1123=per/H  1075=se/M  801=d/H  792=by/H  1385=the/H
   => dis-per-se-d by the
0302.19  982=force/H  1576=of/H  1385=the/H  647=?  1401=i/H  1362=ta/H
   => force of the {mil}-i-ta-
0302.20  949=ry/C  1262=?  668=and/H  1426=in/H  1385=the/H  283=event/H
   => -ry {,} and in the event
0302.21  1576=of/H  1549=an/H  1426=in/H  452=va/C  236=sion/H  882=like/H
   => of an in-va-sion like
0302.22  1385=the/H  1594=one/H  389=sug/H  1213=ges/H  520=ed/H  1261=?
   => the one sug-ges-{t}-ed ,
0302.23  1401=i/H  1544=am/H  1123=per/H  383=tive/M  1501=a/H  812=ded/H
   => I am per-{su}-a-ded
0302.24  1535=al+/H  1111=party+/M  1186=will/H  1098=si/H  594=any/C  1386=their/H
   => all parties will si-{len}-{ce} their
0302.25  1125=person/C  1535=al/H  668=and/H  1148=po/H  880=li/H
   => person-al and po-li-
0302.26  560=ti/H  1003=cal/H  672=?  152=ismore/C  1401=i/H  560=ti/H
   => -ti-cal {an}-{imos}-i-ti-
0303.01  271=es/C  1261=?  1426=in/H  911=orders/M  569=to/H  628=me/H
   => -es , in order to me-
0303.02  275=et/C  1190=with/H  479=un/H  833?=di/H  467=vi/H  812=ded/H
   => -et with un-di-vi-ded
0303.03  545=en/H  1300=er/C  1241=?  1385=the/H  107=common/H  560=ti/H
   => en-er-{gy} the common {enemy}
0303.04  1264=gar/H
   => .
0303.05  1440=it/H  1436=is/H  1501=a/H  318=favor/H  1442=(oppo)site/M
   => It is a favor-{ite}
0303.06  72=measure/M  1261=?  1401=i/H  480=under/H  263=stat/M  416=nd/M
   => measure , I under-sta-nd
0303.07  1261=?  1576=of/H  601=(sympt)oms/M  713=port/M  1264=gar/H  1006=can/H
   => , of {M}-{r} . {Ca}-
0303.08  501=e/M  854=do/H  1261=?  1385=the/H  21=Minister/H  1576=of/H
   => -{ñe}-{do} , the Minister of
0303.09  68=foreign/H  731?=re/H  1459=lationso/C  1261=?  569=to/H  1214=?
   => foreign re-lations , to {get}
0303.10  487=up/C  1501=a/H  1208=general/H  116=?  1576=of/H  1385=the/H
   => up a general {Congress} of the
0303.11  1426=in/H  827=depend/H  1293=tent/H  256=Spain+/H  1438=ish/C  65=amer/C
   => in-depend-ent Span-ish Amer-
0303.12  401=sian/H  264=stateo/H  1261=?  569=to/H  120=consul/C  1261=?
   => -{n} States , to consul(t) ,
0303.13  668=and/H  219=proo/H  467=vi/H  807=ly/C  981=for/H  1385=the/H  1208=general/H
   => and pro-vi-{de} for the general
0303.14  1167=well/C  313=far/H  501=e/M  1576=of/H  1385=the/H  1180=whole/C
   => wel-{fa}-re of the whole
0303.15  1264=gar/H  249=so/H  313=far/H  629=?  587=lea/M  1485=Ro/H
   => . So far {we} lea-{rn}
0303.16  1261=?  1440=it/H  1436=is/H  260=tspr/M  882=like/H  897=ly/H
   => , it is {not} like-ly
0303.17  569=to/H  385=suc/C  1017=ced+/H  1264=gar/H
   => to suc-ceed .
# 471 of 519 groups have a value in ../jqa/code_table.tsv

Reading

ellis1839_reading.md

# Ellis to Forsyth, No. 9, Mexico, 16 Nov 1839 (catalogue 653): the coded passage as sentences
# English, so no translation. The text follows the groups (ellis1839_decryption.txt). Where the code table has no
# value or a wrong one, the word is taken from the Department's 1839 clear copy on frames 0300-0301
# (ellis1839_clearcopy.txt), which confirms it; such words are not marked. Where the groups and the clear copy
# differ, the groups are followed (listed here).
# Differences between the groups and the 1839 clear copy:
# - 0298.02: the groups have "of the 14th instant"; the clear copy "of the 14th of instant".
# - 0298.17: the groups spell t-o-o-p-s; the clear copy also writes "Toops" here, a sign it was made from these groups.
# - 0299.22-23: the groups have "a [153] respectable sou-r-ce" (153 = most, grade H in the table, singular source); the
# clear copy has "very respectable sources".
# - 0303.15-16: the decipherer first wrote "me", then "we" above it (629); first "sp", then "not" (260; the table has
# tspr, M).
# - 0303.02-03: one group under an ink blot (?03, di in un-di-vided) and the last group of 0303.03 (560 or 500, "enemy"
# in the clear copy) are not legible on the film; both words rest on the clear copy.

## Reading

[Heading in clear on frame 0298: "No. 9 / To the Hon. John Forsyth, Secretary of State ... Legation of the United
States of America. Mexico, November 16th 1839. Sir,"]

Since my despatch under date of the 14th instant, information has reached this capital, by express, that a body of
Texian troops has crossed the line, and has been joined by a portion of disaffected Mexicans, with a view, it is
thought, to attack Matamoros. I have not been able to ascertain the number of troops embodied for that purpose,
rumour fixes it at between eight and fifteen hundred men, principally Mexicans. The government here is taking strong
and prompt measures to meet this state of things, and will immediately put in motion, under General Arista, an army
of four thousand men, to march to the frontier, there to act as circumstances may require. I cannot vouch for the
correctness of these statements. They, however, come to me through a most respectable source, and are of sufficient
importance to induce me to make them known to you as early as possible.

A war with Texas under such circumstances will be decidedly popular with a large portion of the Mexican people, and I
must believe unwise councils have influenced the public men of that country in projecting such a measure. The
insurgents who were lately in arms against this government have either capitulated to the public authorities or have
been dispersed by the force of the military, and in the event of an invasion like the one suggested, I am persuaded
all parties will silence their personal and political animosities, in order to meet with undivided energy the common
enemy.

It is a favorite measure, I understand, of Mr. Cañedo, the Minister of Foreign Relations, to get up a general
Congress of the independent Spanish American States, to consult, and provide for the general welfare of the whole.
So far we learn, it is not likely to succeed.

[In clear on frame 0303: "I trust this communication will reach Vera Cruz in time for the New York Packet. I have the
honor to be, with great respect, Your most ob. Serv. Powhatan Ellis."]

Key: code_table.tsv

07 Sources

NARA, RG 59, Despatches from US Ministers to Mexico: vol. 7, M97 roll 8; vol. 8, roll 9; vol. 9, roll 10. Frames used here: vol. 7 0323, 0324; vol. 9 0298, 0299, 0300, 0301, 0302, 0303.
Carlos Bosch García, Documentos de la relación de México con los Estados Unidos III (UNAM, 1984).
Michael Brackx, issue #120 and gist: transcriptions of all coded pages, the 19 May reading, the Ellis values.
WAINUT, PR #107: No. 9 of 1839, transcription, decryption, alignment with the clear copy.
The JQA code table: targets/jqa/code_table.tsv.

Notes, transcriptions, decryptions and the profile are in targets/ellis1839/.