Unknown Revolutionary War soldier identified [View all]

WBAL-TV 11 Baltimore
Jun 18, 2026

A Revolutionary War soldier who died at the Battle of Camden in 1780 has been identified, solving one of America's oldest "John Doe" mysteries. The remains of Pvt. John Pumphrey of the 7th Maryland Regiment were discovered by South Carolina archaeologists at the site of the Battle of Camden. Thursday's announcement was made at a historic home in Anne Arundel County, where family members whose DNA helped identify him gathered to honor his sacrifice.