Rev War Forensic Institute
Unlocking the Stories of Our Heroes
FHD Forensics and the Rev War Forensic Institute invite those with 18th century ancestral ties to the states of Maryland, Delaware, Virginia or North Carolina to participate in a once in a lifetime genetic genealogy investigation to help identify men who made the ultimate sacrifice during the dawn of our country.
In 2022, after more than 20 years of planning, the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology (SCIAA) with valuable assistance from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources respectfully excavated the remains of 14 Battle of Camden casualties whose shallow battlefield burials were being exposed to the elements. Biological anthropologists from the Richland County Coroner’s Office aided with the recovery of the soldiers’ remains, oversaw the final steps in removal from the ground, and coordinated the forensic testing.
FHD Forensics was asked to uncover the stories of these patriots in what are believed to be the oldest unknown subject (John Doe) identifications in the United States. Paleogenetics experts at Astrea Forensics extracted the ancient DNA of the remains and FHD uploaded the oldest autosomal DNA profiles in the world in December 2024.
We need your help to give these ultimate heroes back their names. There are many ways to participate in our study. And it all starts by joining the project. If you’ve already taken a DNA test, please be sure to upload your raw data to GEDmatch before clicking the blue button.
After being rescued from endangered shallow battlefield burials in 2022, men killed in action the Battle of Camden in 1780 were reburied with full military honors in 2023.
About THE FOURTEEN
Fourteen soldiers’ remains were recovered at the Camden Battlefield site in 2022 – twelve patriots, one Loyalist, and one soldier with the British 71st Regiment of Foot, Fraser’s Highlanders. The collaborative preservation team made a remarkable effort to ensure each soldier received the highest military honors and support. In addition to a strong U.S. military contingency, there was a British presence during the April 2023 funeral procession and burial ceremony for the Highlander.
Several details about the 14th recovery alerted anthropologists to the probability that he was of Native American ancestry. Archaeologists are working closely with native elders to ensure proper handling of those remains.
Forging New Frontiers
In 2023, FHD Forensics team members walked a South Carolina battlefield with a group of conflict archaeology experts who asked them to design a DNA plan to study THE FOURTEEN – men who were killed in action at the Battle of Camden in 1780. Their remains were being endangered by erosion and relic hunting activities and deserved preservation. After a military funeral, it was hoped that one day advanced DNA technology might help the Historic Camden Foundation learn more about them.
The Rev War Forensic Institute (RWFI) arose in 2025 after the world’s oldest autosomal DNA profiles were uploaded to genealogy databases, generating thousands of genetic matches and easily identified common ancestors. After 244 years, America’s first veterans inspired a unique team of collaborators to develop a long term vision for this investigation of a lifetime, and others like it.