The marble statue is a Confederate infantry soldier at parade rest standing atop a two tier base constructed of cut granite rocks laid around and supported by steel and concrete. The monument was built to honor all Alexander County Confederate Soldiers. It has three plaques, two of granite and one bronze. One of the granite plaques is an inclined slab at the monuments base, the other a part of the front face with the bronze tablet above. The inscription on the front face states that it was states’ rights and not slavery that motivated southern actions. The bronze tablet tells the story of a young man killed at the battle of Gettysburg. The statue was reported to weigh 1,345 pounds and the monument stands 22 feet from the base of the foundation to the top of the soldier’s cap.
Alexander County Commissioner’s purchased a “Jones six-pounder” cannon to accompany the statue. It was used at the battle of Gettysburg per an accompanying granite plaque. Next to the cannon is the Alexander County Confederate Dead monument with the names of county residents who lost their lives in the Civil War.
Additional Notes
When erected in 1959 this was the first Confederate soldier statue raised in the state in more than 30 years and none have been raised since. This monument is due to the efforts and money of Virgil “Gus” Beckham, a Taylorsville attorney. Stone to build the base was hauled personally by Beckham in his 1953 Chevy pickup and Beckham did much of the work himself. He would never reveal the name of the real person who was the model for the statue but it’s believed a photo of Jacob Lentz, his sister’s father-in-law, was used. Lentz survived the war and was not at Gettysburg.
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