DNA from the skull of an unknown Revolutionary War soldier reveals more than his name

Forensic genealogy finally identified Pvt. John Pumphrey after 246 years — scientists extracted a full genome from the dense petrous bone and traced matches on public family-tree sites.
Pumphrey was a Maryland teen who marched with Washington (including Valley Forge) and fought in major battles before dying at the disastrous Battle of Camden in 1780.
Relatives and researchers held an emotional naming ceremony as plans move forward to replace his “UNKNOWN” marker — an identification timed poignantly ahead of the nation’s 250th birthday.