Code Used in Correspondence between John Adams, Francis Dana, and James Searle, 14 January 1781
Code Used in Correspondence between John Adams, Francis Dana, and James Searle
[ca. 14 January 1781] 1
AZ. Congress
Francisco—Deane
Macedon—Alexander3
RR—Bancroft
X—Williams
D.D—Franklin
D.D.J—Franklin Junr.
SS—Foulke
Missa—Jay
Merry—Carmichael
Snapo—Chamont
Adventure—Beaumarchis
Renardo—Gerard
Angelica—Vergenes
De Novo—De Castres
Grex—States General
Grego—Stadholder
Steady—Mr. Adams
Funn—J. Searle
Dortje—Regency of Ams.
<N> Knobb—Van Berkle
Swivel Eye J. D. Neufville
V—Arthur Lee
Brux—Mr. Izard
Indiana—Gillon
Discardo—Sartin
Fornicatio—Sr. Jos. Yorke
Nestor—Dumas
MS in James Searle’s hand (Adams Papers); endorsed in an unidentified hand: “Cyphers. Dana & JS”; filmed with Ciphers and Cipher Keys, Adams Papers, Microfilms, Reel No. 602.
1. This date derives from Dana’s letter of 1 Jan. and JA’s endorsement on that letter (descriptive note, and note 4, above). The letter of 1 Jan. was the first in which Dana used the code. He stated that James Searle, who was then at Amsterdam, would supply JA with a key. JA indicated in his endorsement that he replied to Dana’s letter on 14 Jan. (not found), making it likely that he received it either on 14 Jan. or on the previous evening when he returned from a tour of the principal cities of the province of Holland (to the president of Congress, 14 Jan.; to C. W. F. Dumas, 14 Jan., both above). Since the manuscript is in Searle’s hand, and he arrived in Brussels on 15 Jan., on his way back to Paris (from William Lee, 17 Jan., below), it seems likely that Searle wrote out the key for JA on or about 14 Jan. before he left Amsterdam.
2. Although attributed to Dana and Searle, the code probably originated with C. W. F. Dumas who used the code word for Congress as early as Oct. 1779 ( , p. 63–64).