The Camden Patriots DNA Project: Help Honor the Unknown Soldiers of the Revolutionary War
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Camden, SC – The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) is proud to announce its involvement in the Camden Patriots DNA Project, an initiative to honor and potentially identify two Continental soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of American independence. This project builds on the SAR’s ongoing commitment to remembering the brave men who fought in the Battle of Camden, where 12 Continental soldiers’ remains were discovered three years ago.
The SAR has consistently participated in the commemoration of these fallen heroes, including marching in the Camden Burials Parade, attending memorial services at Historic Camden, and participating in military funeral ceremonies on the battlefield where the soldiers were found. Now, with the help of modern forensic technology, the SAR has a remarkable opportunity to provide these soldiers with the recognition they so rightfully deserve.
DNA Samples from the Camden Battlefield When the remains of the 12 Continental soldiers were recovered from the Camden Battlefield, a critical step in the forensic archaeological process was the extraction of DNA samples from their bones and teeth. These samples have since been analyzed, and to date, two of them have proven viable. The Camden Patriots DNA Project aims to match these samples with descendants of men who fought in the Maryland and Delaware Continental Lines during the Battle of Camden in 1780, offering a chance to identify these unknown soldiers and place their names on their headstones.
A Call for SAR Compatriots
We are now calling upon SAR Compatriots whose ancestors served in specific regiments during the Revolutionary War to assist with the project by submitting DNA samples. These regiments include:
- Col. Mordecai Gist’s 2nd Maryland Regiment
- Lt. Col. Benjamin Ford’s 6th Maryland Regiment
- Col. Vaughan’s Delaware Regiment
- Col. Smallwood’s 1st Maryland Regiment
- Troops under Brigadier General Johan de Kalb, Col. Otho Williams, Maj. Archibald Anderson, Lt. Col. John Eager Howard, and Capt. Robert Kirkwood
These units were vital in the Battle of Camden, and their descendants may hold the key to solving this historical puzzle. Many of the soldiers who fought at Camden were young, and while they may not have had children, many likely had brothers, cousins, or even fathers and sons who enlisted together.
A Historic Opportunity for Identification If successful, the Camden Patriots DNA Project will result in the identification of the oldest unknown subjects ever identified in the United States. The significance of this discovery cannot be overstated—it would ensure that these brave patriots, after nearly 245 years of anonymity, are finally recognized and properly honored. Their names would no longer be lost to history, but instead memorialized on gravestones that reflect the sacrifices they made for the birth of this nation.
How to Participate
SAR members and their extended families who believe they may have ancestors who served in the regiments involved in the Battle of Camden are urged to participate in the project. To submit DNA, participants can fill out the Camden Burials form here.
If you have already completed a genetic test, please upload the raw data to GED Match before filling out the form.
Join the Effort to Honor Our Heroes This is an extraordinary opportunity to help bring closure and recognition to the lives of soldiers who have remained nameless for over two centuries. Let us ensure these heroes of the American Revolution rest in peace under headstones that bear their names.
For more information about the Camden DNA Project and to learn how you can get involved, please visit the following links:
About the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR)
Founded in 1889, the SAR is a non-profit, non-partisan lineage society dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and teaching American history to future generations. The organization and its Foundation can be found at SAR.org.
