T. B. LARIMORE

Newspaper and Magazine Articles

Contributed 13 Aug 2006
by Lee Freeman

From the Confederate Veteran Vol. XXX No. 1, January, 1922, p. 6.

CAPTAIN SPILLER.
BY T. B. LARIMORE, NASHVILLE, TENN.

          Capt. C. C. Spiller was my captain when I wore the Confederate gray in the sanguinary sixties. He was a man of deeds, not of words; but I remember some of the things I heard him say sixty years ago. He took me to Confederate headquarters at Chattanooga, in 1863 I think it was, and said: “This boy has been, to my certain knowledge, where a crow could not have escaped.”
          At the beginning of the war he was captain of a steamboat, his home being six miles below Bridgeport, Ala., near the right bank of the Tennessee River.
          Commissioned by the Confederacy to raise a company of cavalry, he sent officers and a competent horse trader into Sequatchie Valley to enlist men to recruit his company and to buy horses to mount his men, the nucleus of his company consisting of officers and men subject to his command as river or steamboat captain.
          That was early in sixty-one, but even then the spirit of war filled the valley as waters fill the sea. An infantry company¹ had been formed in Dunlap, the county seat of Sequatchie County, and I was its hopeful, happy color bearer. That company had not been mustered into service, however; and, fearing the war would be over before I got there, I hastened away to Chattanooga and joined Captain Spiller’s company.
          As one of Spiller’s scouts I made my military record—a record of which I have never been disposed to boast or be ashamed. This gave me a rare opportunity to know the man of whom I write. It is not meet that I should laud him overmuch; but, suffice it to say, he was no ordinary man.
          He was brave, but cautious and prudent, and always took the best possible care of his men. It was not possible, however, for him to keep them constantly out of danger, as every sensible soldier knows; but when it was necessary for him to send one or more of his men into a perilous place from which escape seemed almost impossible, he did it with fatherly reluctance and regret.
          I remember well a time when the salvation and safety of his command depended on his knowing whether the enemy occupied a certain place which, though little more than a mile distant, could not be seen from where we were. The desired, the essential information could not be obtained except by drawing the enemy’s fire or at least endeavoring to do so. That made it necessary for him to send one or more of his soldiers into such peril that to select one for that service seemed like sentencing him to be shot. He was unwilling to do that; hence he called for volunteers to thus run the risk of giving their lives to save the rest. Two boys volunteered to go. They went. They drew the fire of the enemy. Minie balls filled the air around them with music such as only soldiers can understand.
          Having fulfilled their mission, they beat a hasty retreat, rejoined their command, all were saved and were safe for the time; and our brave captain was perfectly satisfied. Bill Whittle was one of those boys, and the other would be glad to hear from him and delighted to meet him again. He would likewise be delighted to meet or hear from any other members of Captain Spiller’s Confederate company.

1. Larimore’s original regiment was Co. I, 35th Tenn. Infantry. [ back ]

From the Florence Gazette (Lauderdale Co., AL) Saturday, June 2, 1883, p. 3.

The Annual All-Day-Meeting and dinner, at Mars Hill College, will be held to-morrow. Services at 10:30 a. m. and 2:30 p. m. The public are invited to attend. We know Prof. Larimore well enough, as a christian [sic] gentleman, to say that any and all who may go, will be warmly welcomed and well treated.

From the North Star (Florence, AL) Thursday, April 3, 1884, p. 3.

Rev. T. B. Larimore will preach at Macedonia Church, near Gravelly Springs, on the 3rd Sunday in April 1884.

From the North Star (Florence, AL) Thursday, May 15? 1884, p. 3.

Rev. T. B. Larimore will preach at Woodland on the 4th Sunday in this month.

From the North Alabamian (Tuscumbia, Colbert Co., AL), Friday, May 7, 1886, p. 3.

Rev. T. B. Larimore, of the Christian church, has been preaching a series of able sermons in Ludike Hall [in Florence, AL] to a large and appreciative audience. Sunday night he filled the pulpit of the Presbyterian Church, and delivered a most eloquent discourse to a large and attentive audience.

From the North Star (Florence, AL) Thursday, June 5, 1884, p. 3.

The "All Day Meeting" at Mars Hill last Sunday was attended by a large concourse of people from all sections of the county for ten miles around, and by quite a number of people from adjoining counties.-- Rev. T. B. Larimore the President of this flourishing institution of learning preached two excellent sermons, the subject of the morning discourse being "The foundation on which rests the Christian's hope of Salvation," as set forth in the closing part of the 16th chapter of Matthew. The afternoon subject was "Building on that foundation which God has made." Both were clear, distinct, logical and eloquent expositions of biblical doctrine. At noon the baskets were brought forth and a bountiful and excellent dinner spread, there being an abundance for all. We had the pleasure of dining at Mrs. J. W. Blair's table on mutton, shoat, ham &c., flanked by the most delicious condiments and sweet meats the most fastidious appetite could crave. These annual meetings at Mars Hill are always looked forward to and greatly enjoyed by our people.

From the Florence Gazette (Lauderdale Co. AL) Saturday, June 7, 1884, p. 3.

We acknowledge the receipt of an invitation to the Columbia, Tenn., Athenaeum. The Sermon will be preached to-morrow by Rev. T. B. Larimore, of our county

From the Florence Gazette (Laud. Co., AL), Saturday, May 8, 1886, p. 3.

     Rev. T. B. Larimore has been preaching this week, at night, at the Presbyterian church, to large congregations and with marked effect.

From the Moulton Advertiser (Lawrence Co., AL), Thursday, October 14, 1886, p. 3.

     Elder T. B. Larimore of Mar's [sic] Hill, a pulpit giant in the Christian church and a theologian of national fame, is now preaching a series of interesting sermons at this place. Large crowds go to hear him morning and evening. May success attend his efforts here, and may a live church of that faith be established in our town.

From the Moulton Advertiser (Lawrence Co., AL) , Thursday, October 21, 1886, p. 3.

     Bro. Larrimore [sic] has done a wonderful, a glorious work here. He has re-established his brethren in the faith and put them to work in the vineyard of the Lord. May God bless him and them. He preached some very feeling sermons while here, touched many hearts, many eyes were moistened with pearly tears and a better feeling pervades the entire community. Sixty three joined the church, 19 of whom joined on confession and baptism. * * * * The correspondent from this place to the Birmingham Age in speaking of Elder Larrimore [sic] says: "He is a very eloquent divine, and will no doubt do the community much good by stirring up the numerous sinners. He always has large congregations when he preaches here, and is a magnetic speaker."

From the Moulton Advertiser (Lawrence Co., AL), Thursday, October 28, 1886, p. 3.

Elder T. B. Larrimore [sic] will preach in the Christian church, at Moulton. next Sunday - Oct. 31--services to begin at 10 a. m. and 2 p. m. Dinner on the ground.

From the Moulton Advertiser (Lawrence Co., AL), Thursday, November 4, 1886, p. 3.

Elder T. B. Larrimore [sic] closed another series of interesting sermons here last Monday night. There were 11 accessions to his church, 6 by baptism and confession. The membership of the Christian church here reaches up to 100, and the brethren are very zealous in the cause. May the holy fire burn brighter until all shall be made to see and do their duty [.] Brother Larrimore [sic] is a captivating speaker, and many of our people look upon him as being one of the best preachers in all this country.

From the Moulton Advertiser (Lawrence Co., AL), Thursday, November 18, 1886, p. 3.

Elder R. P. Meeks will preach in the Christian church at this place, on Sunday morning next.

From the Moulton Advertiser (Lawrence Co., AL), Thursday, November 18, 1886, p. 3.

Elder Metcalf of Tennessee preached two splendid sermons in the Christian church at this place last Sunday. He is a fine old gentleman.

From the Florence Gazette (Lauderdale Co., AL) Saturday, November 20, 1886, p. 3.

Rev. T. B. Larimore is now absent in South Alabama on an evangelistic tour. He concludes a series of meetings at Troy, next week.

From the Florence Wave (Lauderdale Co., AL) November 27, 1886, p. 1.

Prof. T. B. Larimore, President of the Mars Hill Bible College, will begin a series of meeting at the first Baptist church next Sunday evening at 3 o'clock. Prof. Larimore is a very able minister of the Christian church [sic] and has done a great work in Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi, and other southern states. -- He is an eloquent and easy pulpit orator, and presents the truth in a forcible and earnest manner. All are earnestly solicited to attend. He will continue about eight or ten days.-- Troy Messenger.

From the Florence Gazette (Lauderdale Co., AL) Saturday, January 1, 1887, p. 3.

The members of the Christian church [sic] in our town, have rented the Odd Fellows' Hall, for the present year, and services may be expected there regularly, on Sunday, generally conducted by that sliver-tongued orator and Christian gentleman, Rev. T. B. Larimore.

From the Florence Wave (Lauderdale Co., AL) Saturday, April 16, 1887, p. 3.

Rev. T. B. Larimore, left during the week for the purpose of representing in Tennessee, the interests of the Land Co.* No better man could have been selected for this purpose since he is a man of extensive information, and whose honesty of purpose none can question. In our prosperity he has been a potent factor and none can be found so contemptible as to deny that he deserves at our hands the full meed of praise for his untiring industry.

NOTE: The "Land Co." referred to above is  the Florence Land, Mining & Manufacturing Company, founded by Judge William B. Wood and others in 1886 during Florence's industrial boom.

From the Florence Wave (Lauderdale County, AL) Saturday, April 30, 1887, p. 4.

T. B. LARIMORE.
Florence, Ala., Apr. 7, 1887.
---Gospel Advocate.
     Railroad accidents are sufficiently numerous already. The causes from which they spring are likewise not so few that what Artemus Ward called "pure cussedness" need be added to them. A recent accident which might have been more serious than it was resulted from nothing else. A train on the Jacksonville and Southeastern Railroad, and one on the Chicago and Alton raced forward at full speed, the engineer of each striving to reach the crossing at Girard before the other. Two miles before reaching that point a wheel of the second coach of the Jacksonville and Southeastern Railroad broke, and two coaches were hurled down an embankment into the ditch. Remarkable to relate, the stoves did not break loose. There was no conflagration and only seven passengers were injured. But that was not the fault of the engineer. Racing, which used to be a source of disaster among river steamers, would be likely to prove even more fatal on the railways and should be shut down on at once.

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