Alexander John Sutorius was born in May 1836 in Düdingen, Switzerland. He immigrated to the United States in 1854 and settled in New York. He earned a living as a musician. He enlisted in the Regular Army on September 15, 1854, and he mustered in as a private in the 3rd United States Cavalry. According to his enlistment records, he was 5 feet, 8 inches tall, with brown hair and hazel eyes. He was stationed in the New Mexico Territory, and he reenlisted in 1859. He received a series of promotions: to 2nd lieutenant in 1863, to 1st lieutenant in October 1865, and finally to captain in May 1869. Around 1865, he married Mercy M. Tompkins, who was twelve years his junior. The couple had three children. In 1870, he was stationed at Fort Verde and at Camp Date Creek in the Arizona Territory. He then went to Fort Sanders in the Wyoming Territory. He mustered out on September 25, 1876, and he settled in New York City. He earned a living as a bookkeeper and store keeper. He applied for a federal pension in October 1891 and eventually secured one. He died in New York City on March 19, 1905.