Ohioans Needed to Locate Revolutionary War Hero

Historians point out that post-Revolutionary War, land in Ohio was granted to soldiers as a form of compensation. It’s estimated that about 7,000 soldiers’ remains are scattered throughout the state, prompting the Ohio Historic Preservation Office to initiate a project aimed at locating these war heroes.

Recently, a teenage soldier from the Revolutionary War was identified after lying in an unmarked grave for over 246 years.

This groundbreaking identification came to light in June, as researchers believe it’s the first instance of a Revolutionary War soldier being confirmed through DNA and forensic genetics.

The remains were identified as belonging to Private John Pumphrey, a young soldier who died during the Battle of Camden in South Carolina.

Speaking of which, the Battle of Camden was a significant defeat for the Continental Army, resulting in the loss of hundreds of American lives.

Pumphrey is thought to have enlisted between the ages of 13 and 15, making him around 16 to 18 at the time of his death on August 16, 1780.

The excavation that uncovered Pumphrey’s body took place in 2022 at a site associated with the Battle of Camden.

According to a June news release from FHD Forensics, a part of his skull will be utilized for DNA analysis to formally identify him before he receives military honors at a reburial planned for 2024.

Alison Peacock, who heads FHD Forensics, noted that while young boys enlisting in the Continental Army was not the norm, it wasn’t entirely uncommon either.

She remarked, “It’s very typical for boys to volunteer,” but added that there were supposed age restrictions that were often overlooked.

Initially, researchers were surprised by Pumphrey’s young age, considering his background and the anthropological data they had. They had difficulty reconciling why he would join the military.

“We are already rewriting the story of the battle,” Peacock commented.

Discovering details about his family revealed that they belonged to notable founding families in Maryland, which initially made his decision to enlist puzzling. However, as they learned more about his family’s proximity to Baltimore and the challenges following his parents’ deaths, the reasons for his enlistment began to make sense.

Peacock expressed confidence that similar DNA identification techniques could help unravel the identities of other unidentified soldiers from Camden, contingent on securing funding for their research.

“Knowing the little details of putting the story together made all the difference,” she said, indicating that understanding his family’s situation illuminated Pumphrey’s motivations for joining the military.

The excavation site, rich in history, remains active for further archaeological studies connected to the Battle of Camden.

Peacock concluded, “This is the first time something like this has happened, and we’re learning things previously unknown through DNA analysis.”