You arrive in New Orleans as evening is setting in and go directly to the dock where Major Butler’s boat is moored.  Major Butler is eating his supper when you arrive. “Yes?” he asks, looking at you quizzically.

“Babcock has sent me with an important message,” you explain hurriedly. “She received your message about the impending raid on Richmond and has asked me to present this to you immediately!” You hand him the bill with the numbers.

Butler sits back and regards you carefully. “I’ve been expecting this message. Babcock has recently notified me that many of the Confederate troops are distracted as they relocate the prisoners from Belle Isle and Castle Thunder to Georgia to evade us. I have convinced President Lincoln to approve our plan:  to free the prisoners, incapacitate all of Richmond’s railroad infrastructure, and, most importantly, to arrest President Jefferson Davis. I hope the news in this message will not dissuade us!”

Butler studies the numbers carefully.  He gets up, moves to a large bookshelf, and pulls down a thick volume.  Paging through the book, you sense that he’s looking for something specific.  Furrowing his brow, Major Butler next moves to his desk and rummages through the top drawer but does not appear to find what he is looking for.

“You’d think by now I’d know old Babcock’s cipher by heart. She’s a clever one, that woman, what with her tricks and codes and invisible inks!  Time is of the essence, my friend, but I cannot seem to find my key. I will go look in other areas—in the unlikely event that I merely misplaced it and didn’t forget it entirely—but as Babcock has indicated this information is of utmost importance, I will ask you to decipher it yourself.  Hopefully she has given us some inside advice on our attack!”

Butler hands the bill back to you and leaves the room. You are left to determine Miss Van Lew’s message.

*Enter the largest number in Miss Van Lew’s message (numerals) at www.theresystance.com/money