DNA technology leads to identification of Revolutionary War soldier
Summary
Archaeologists found old remains of soldiers from a 1780 battle in South Carolina. Using DNA technology, they identified one soldier as John Pumphrey, a young man from Maryland who fought with the Continental Army.Key Facts
- The remains were found in shallow graves at a Revolutionary War battlefield in Camden, South Carolina.
- Metal buttons on the remains suggested they belonged to Continental Army soldiers.
- One set of remains, called 9B, was identified as John Pumphrey using three types of DNA and historical records.
- John Pumphrey joined the 7th Maryland Regiment possibly as a teenager around age 13.
- The Pumphrey family has history in Maryland and still has living relatives today.
- DNA samples came from three women related to Pumphrey, helping to confirm his identity.
- Pumphrey marched over a thousand miles and fought in battles led by George Washington.
- His previously unnamed grave will soon have a tombstone with his name on it.
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