In 2022, after more than 20 years of planning, the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology (SCIAA) with the valuable assistance of 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 performed forensic anthropological examinations.

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. Sponsored by the South Carolina Battleground Preservation Trust and USC-SCIAA Archaeological Research Trust, paleogenetics experts at Astrea Forensics extracted the Ancient DNA of two of the first two subjects.

FHD uploaded some of the oldest autosomal DNA profiles in the world to public databases in December of 2024. A genetic genealogy grant from the Historic Camden Foundation helped fund our research in 2025.