he asked himself.
The words trailed off where the corner of the page had been torn away. It looked deliberate. Then he noticed, in extremely small script, a note written vertically along the gutter of the book. He zoomed in with the magnifier tool and slowly read,
Missing half of cipher is deposit’d in Butler’s payroll keg.
Confirming his speculation, Jake realized the page had indeed been deliberately torn off to hide the rest of the cipher. He nodded. This was Boyd’s security measure so no one would find it. With a sparkle in his eyes that he had made a major discovery, he moved on to the next image.
From September sixth through the eleventh, Boyd had made brief, one-sentence entries on the next page. Based on his inscriptions, the campaign was in continuous march, his scout detachment being heavily relied upon, loot plentiful and theft among troops common. In one instance, Boyd described a famous Indian killer in his detachment, a Virginian named Tim Murphy. He put a ball in the back of an officer in Butler’s Rangers just outside present day Canandaigua. After looting the victim Murphy traded with Boyd the officer’s corset, compass, and gold match case.
Boyd’s writings overwhelmingly reflected exhaustion. They were marching over ten miles per day through the wilderness and shadowed by Indians who took potshots at them. Jake knew from his own studies that the army would now be in the area just south of present-day Rochester, marching toward the Genesee River Valley and crisscrossing between some of the smaller western Finger Lakes. The troops were at the end of their supply chain and facing severe shortages.
He uploaded Boyd’s last journal entry, the other page with a similarly torn corner and cryptic message.
Sunday, Sept. 12th – Much thunder and rain last night. Army left most provisions at Honneyayeu garrison to march with only what will be necessary to reach Little Beard’s Town or Chenesee Castle (25 miles) and back again. McTavish and me kept our fortunes close to our person. March’d at 9 o’clock in morning at the vanguard once again almost 2 miles ahead of main army. Mostly rain’d today. Pass’d thro many hills. Travell’d 11 miles and incamp’d a mile north of abandon’d Indian village call’d Kanaghsaws. The troops destroy’d the town of 25 houses and large corn fields. Our camp situat’d atop the flat hill overlooking the swampy inlet and head of a small lake. Much fatigue’d and thirsty.
Most exciting news this night brings. General Sullivan summon’d me to his tent and reward’d me personally with command of a special early morning mission to reconnoyter ahead to our final objective. Says as a Brother of the Craft he knows I can be trust’d and that I’ve provin my worth in courage, service, and duty. Order’d to pick 4 of my best riflemen. No contact with the Enimy should be made. This could be my step upwards for promotion to full Capt’n. I intend to do the job with utmost success. Must gather my men and provisions.
Jake noticed Boyd’s handwriting had become much harder to read — an indication he was in a rush before his mission.
Writing again before reconnoyter. Upon refilling our water pouches at the parallel streams near the village, McTavish and me slipp’d away to have our fortunes bury’d for it prov’d too heavy a burden. We will come back for it on our return journey after reaching objective. Plunder in our keg is inventory’d as such: Butler’s 200 Guineas and bear claw necklace taken from his Indian spy; location of Sullivan’s sunken cannon of gold near Catherine’s Town; Swetland’s silver broach, cipher directions to his cave and case containing his cave map; 3 silver rings, 7 pipes, 5 knives, 2 wampum belts; a British Ranger Officer’s corset, compass and gold match case.
“Holy crap,” Jake uttered. The page finished with the following message along with more cryptic lettering torn at the bottom right corner:
Craft cipher indicates
The words trailed off where the corner of the page had been torn away. It looked deliberate. Then he noticed, in extremely small script, a note written vertically along the gutter of the book. He zoomed in with the magnifier tool and slowly read,
Missing half of cipher is deposit’d in Butler’s payroll keg.
Confirming his speculation, Jake realized the page had indeed been deliberately torn off to hide the rest of the cipher. He nodded. This was Boyd’s security measure so no one would find it. With a sparkle in his eyes that he had made a major discovery, he moved on to the next image.
From September sixth through the eleventh, Boyd had made brief, one-sentence entries on the next page. Based on his inscriptions, the campaign was in continuous march, his scout detachment being heavily relied upon, loot plentiful and theft among troops common. In one instance, Boyd described a famous Indian killer in his detachment, a Virginian named Tim Murphy. He put a ball in the back of an officer in Butler’s Rangers just outside present day Canandaigua. After looting the victim Murphy traded with Boyd the officer’s corset, compass, and gold match case.
Boyd’s writings overwhelmingly reflected exhaustion. They were marching over ten miles per day through the wilderness and shadowed by Indians who took potshots at them. Jake knew from his own studies that the army would now be in the area just south of present-day Rochester, marching toward the Genesee River Valley and crisscrossing between some of the smaller western Finger Lakes. The troops were at the end of their supply chain and facing severe shortages.
He uploaded Boyd’s last journal entry, the other page with a similarly torn corner and cryptic message.
Sunday, Sept. 12th – Much thunder and rain last night. Army left most provisions at Honneyayeu garrison to march with only what will be necessary to reach Little Beard’s Town or Chenesee Castle (25 miles) and back again. McTavish and me kept our fortunes close to our person. March’d at 9 o’clock in morning at the vanguard once again almost 2 miles ahead of main army. Mostly rain’d today. Pass’d thro many hills. Travell’d 11 miles and incamp’d a mile north of abandon’d Indian village call’d Kanaghsaws. The troops destroy’d the town of 25 houses and large corn fields. Our camp situat’d atop the flat hill overlooking the swampy inlet and head of a small lake. Much fatigue’d and thirsty.
Most exciting news this night brings. General Sullivan summon’d me to his tent and reward’d me personally with command of a special early morning mission to reconnoyter ahead to our final objective. Says as a Brother of the Craft he knows I can be trust’d and that I’ve provin my worth in courage, service, and duty. Order’d to pick 4 of my best riflemen. No contact with the Enimy should be made. This could be my step upwards for promotion to full Capt’n. I intend to do the job with utmost success. Must gather my men and provisions.
Jake noticed Boyd’s handwriting had become much harder to read — an indication he was in a rush before his mission.
Writing again before reconnoyter. Upon refilling our water pouches at the parallel streams near the village, McTavish and me slipp’d away to have our fortunes bury’d for it prov’d too heavy a burden. We will come back for it on our return journey after reaching objective. Plunder in our keg is inventory’d as such: Butler’s 200 Guineas and bear claw necklace taken from his Indian spy; location of Sullivan’s sunken cannon of gold near Catherine’s Town; Swetland’s silver broach, cipher directions to his cave and case containing his cave map; 3 silver rings, 7 pipes, 5 knives, 2 wampum belts; a British Ranger Officer’s corset, compass and gold match case.
“Holy crap,” Jake uttered. The page finished with the following message along with more cryptic lettering torn at the bottom right corner:
Craft cipher indicates
Similar Books
