DNA Identifies Private John Pumphrey 246 Years After Death at Age 16 to 18
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 22
DNA Identifies Private John Pumphrey 246 Years After Death at Age 16 to 18
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 22
Summary
Private John Pumphrey, a teenage Continental Army soldier killed at Camden in 1780, was identified from remains excavated in South Carolina in 2022 and reburied with military honors in 2024.
FHD Forensics said a tiny skull fragment yielded DNA that, combined with forensic genetic genealogy, made what researchers believe is the first DNA-based identification of a Revolutionary War soldier.
Researchers said Pumphrey likely enlisted in 1777 at age 13 to 15 and died at 16 to 18, making him one of the youngest members of Washington's "Old Line."
Genealogical work traced him to prominent Anne Arundel County, Maryland, families and linked his enlistment to turmoil after his parents' deaths, helping explain why such a young boy joined up.
The identification could reshape historians' understanding of the Battle of Camden and may help name other unidentified soldiers there if funding is secured.