The Kentucky Gateway Museum Center is proud to announce their newest character for the Fall Back into Time contest, General Albert Sidney Johnston. He was born in Washington, Kentucky in 1803. He attended Transylvania University and graduated from West Point in 1826. After serving in the Black Hawk War, he moved to Texas and during the War for Texan Independence he rose to become Secretary of State for the Texas Republic. He served with distinction with the U. S. Army in the Mexican War. At the start of the Civil War he was the commander of the Department of the Pacific headquartered in Los Angeles and was considered the foremost officer in the service. When his adopted state of Texas seceded he resigned his commission and became the second ranking general in the Confederate Army. He died on the battlefield at Shiloh on 6 April 1862.

Portraying their character is Dr. James Shires who has studied and written about the career of General Albert Sidney Johnston and has portrayed him on many occasions. Dr. Shires is the Education Curator at the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center in Maysville. He is President Emeritus of Maysville Community College and a Colonel, U. S. Army (Retired).