Researchers have identified the remains of a teenage soldier who died fighting in the American Revolutionary War, solving a mystery that had lasted 246 years. The identification, announced in June, is believed to be the first time a Revolutionary War soldier has been identified using DNA analysis combined with forensic genetic genealogy, marking a significant advance in how historians and scientists can trace soldiers buried in unmarked graves.

The remains were identified as those of Private John Pumphrey, who died as a teenager at the Battle of Camden in South Carolina. The work was carried out by researchers at FHD Forensics, who used advanced DNA testing alongside genealogical research to trace his identity after more than two centuries. The breakthrough reflects wider efforts, including in Ohio, to locate and identify Revolutionary War veterans, with historians estimating that around 7,000 such soldiers remain buried in and around that state alone.