The remains of a teenage Revolutionary War soldier, buried for 246 years, have been identified using advanced DNA analysis and forensic genetic genealogy. This marks what researchers believe is the first such identification of a Revolutionary War soldier.
The discovery was announced in June, identifying the remains as Private John Pumphrey, who died at the Battle of Camden in South Carolina. The battle was one of the Continental Army's most significant defeats, with hundreds of American soldiers killed.
Researchers estimate Pumphrey enlisted in 1777, between the ages of 13 and 15, meaning he was between 16 and 18 when he died on August 16, 1780. His remains were uncovered in 2022 during an excavation at the battlefield site by the University of South Carolina.
A small piece of the soldier's skull was used to extract DNA, enabling researchers at FHD Forensics to determine his identity. Pumphrey was subsequently reburied in 2024 with military honors.
While young boys enlisting in the Continental Army was not entirely uncommon, it was considered rare. Allison Peacock, president of FHD Forensics, stated that rules regarding age were frequently disregarded.
Initially, researchers were puzzled by the enlistment of such a young soldier from a prominent founding family in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. However, details regarding turmoil in his father's estate and his family's proximity to Baltimore provided context for his decision to enlist in that city.
Peacock expressed confidence that other unidentified soldiers from the Battle of Camden could be identified using similar techniques, provided funding is secured. The application of DNA technology is yielding new historical insights, with Peacock noting, "We're already rewriting the story of the battle. We're learning things that historians had no way of knowing until we got into the DNA."