were in command of a body of men, about sixty in number, known as the
Georgia Refugees. Upon the minds of these men the offenders had already
sought to act, in reference to the expected collision with their
general. Marion made his preparations with his ordinary quietness, and
then dispatched Horry to the person who was in possession of the sword
of Croft; for which he made a formal demand. He refused to give it up,
alleging that it was his, and taken in war. "If the general wants
it," he added, "let him come for it himself." When this reply was
communicated to Marion he instructed Horry to renew the demand. His
purpose seems to have been, discovering the temper of the offender, to
gain the necessary time. His officers, meanwhile, were gathering around
him. He was making his preparations for a struggle, which might be
bloody, which might, indeed, involve not only the safety of his brigade,
but his own future usefulness. Horry, however, with proper spirit,
entreated not to be sent again to the offender, giving, as a reason for
his reluctance, that, in consequence of the previous rudeness of the
other, he was not in the mood to tolerate a repetition of the indignity,
and might, if irritated, be provoked to violence. Marion then dispatched
his orderly to the guilty major, with a request, civilly worded, that he
might see him at head quarters. He appeared accordingly, accompanied
by the captain who had joined with him in the outrage, and under whose
influence he appeared to act. Marion renewed his demand, in person, for
the sword of Croft. The other again refused to deliver it, alleging that
"Croft was a Tory, and even then with the enemy in Georgetown."

* The brigade of Marion was for a long period without
medical attendance or a surgeon to dress his wounded. If a
wound reached an artery the patient bled to death. To
illustrate the fierce hostility of Whigs and Tories, a
single anecdote will suffice. On one occasion, Horry had
three men wounded near Georgetown. A surgeon of the Tories
was then a prisoner in his ranks, yet he positively refused
to dress the wounds, and suffered a fine youth named Kolb,
to bleed to death before his eyes, from a slight injury upon
the wrist.--

"Will you deliver me the sword or not, Major------?" was the answer
which Marion made to this suggestion.

"I will not!" was the reply of the offender. "At these words," says
Horry in the MS. be