Researchers have identified the remains of a teenage soldier from the Revolutionary War more than two centuries after his death. Using advanced DNA analysis and forensic genetic genealogy, experts at FHD Forensics confirmed the remains belong to Private John Pumphrey, a teenager from a prominent Maryland family who died at the Battle of Camden in South Carolina in 1780.

The remains were uncovered in 2022 during an excavation at the historic Battle of Camden battlefield by the University of South Carolina. Officials from FHD Forensics reported in June that a tiny piece of the soldier's skull was used to extract DNA, enabling the identification before Private Pumphrey was reburied with military honors in 2024.

The Battle of Camden was one of the Continental Army's worst defeats during the Revolutionary War, resulting in hundreds of American casualties. Private Pumphrey is believed to have enlisted between the ages of 13 and 15, making him one of the youngest members of George Washington's revered 'Old Line.' Experts noted that it was a "pretty regular occurrence for young boys to volunteer," and that age restrictions were often broken.

The discovery is believed to be the first identification of a Revolutionary War soldier using DNA and forensic genetic genealogy. It has prompted historians to reconsider aspects of the battle and the soldiers involved. When researchers traced Pumphrey's family connections, they found ties to prominent founding families of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, known as the gentry class.

After the Revolutionary War, soldiers were often compensated with land in Ohio, and Ohio’s State Historic Preservation Office continues efforts to locate these war heroes.

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