Born in Tallapoosa County, Alabama, John Michael Burton lived in Camp Hill,
Alabama, during his early childhood and later moved with his family to the
Russell Mill Village, close to the mills where his parents worked. He attended
Alexander City Community College in his home state and was later drafted into
service during the Vietnam War. Trained to be a dog handler, he fulfilled his
service obligations and later chose a truck-driving career.
Gracie's Alabama Volunteers: The History of the Fifty-ninth Alabama
Volunteer Regiment details the experiences of the Fifty-ninth
Alabama Volunteer Regiment, led by Brig. Gen. Archibald Gracie, Jr. The book
traces the regiment's history from its origins as Hilliard's Alabama Legion
to its final days as part of the Army of Northern Virginia.
The author's great-great-grandfather, William Tate Burton, was with Gracie's
regiment for the entire war, volunteering at the age of twenty-nine. The author
himself is a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and an enthusiastic
Civil War reenactor, having appeared in the TNT productions Gettysburg
and Andersonville.
Burton frequently speaks to students about both the Civil War and his Native
American heritage. He enjoys hiking, watching rodeo, and, of course, Civil War
reenacting. Semi-retired, he has three children and two grandchildren and
currently resides in Dadeville, Alabama.