The delay gave time to the offenders for reflection.

Perhaps, looking round upon their followers, they saw no consenting spirit of mutiny in their eyes, encouraging their own; for, "though many of these refugees were present, none offered to back or support the mutinous officers;"-- and when the guard that was ordered, appeared in sight, the companion of the chief offender was seen to touch the arm of the other, who then proffered the sword to Marion, saying, "General, you need not have sent for the guard."* Marion, refusing to receive it, referred him to the sergeant of the guard, and thus doubly degraded, the dishonored major of Continentals--for he was such--disappeared from sight, followed by his associate.

His farther punishment was of a kind somewhat differing from those which are common to armies, by which the profession of arms is sometimes quite as much dishonored as the criminal.

Marion endeavored, by his punishments, to elevate the sense of character in the spectators.
He had some of the notions of Napoleon on this subject.

He was averse to those brutal punishments which, in the creature, degrade the glorious image of the Creator.