FHD Forensics Identifies Revolutionary War Soldier Private John Pumphrey Through DNA Analysis
FHD Forensics, a Texas-based forensic genetic genealogy company, has identified Private John Pumphrey of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, a Continental soldier killed at the Battle of Camden on August 16, 1780. His remains, designated Camden 9B, were among five soldiers found in a shallow grave on the Camden battlefield in South Carolina. The identification was made possible through DNA extracted from a fragment of his skull. Archaeologists recovered the remains in 2022 as part of an effort by the South Carolina Battleground Preservation Trust to protect graves threatened by erosion. Private Pumphrey enlisted in Maryland's 7th Regiment on January 5, 1777, at an estimated age of 13 to 15, making him one of the youngest members of the Maryland Line. Researchers determined he was orphaned at age 10, which likely led to his enlistment for guaranteed food and clothing. The identification involved autosomal, Y-DNA, and X chromosome matching, utilizing databases and the expertise of genetic genealogists. 
