Mormon 4

In the 363rd year after Christ’s arrival, the Nephite army left their defensive positions in the land of Desolation to go fight the Lamanites. When they were defeated and driven back, exhausted, a fresh Lamanite army attacked them. After the Lamanites took the city of Desolation, they killed and imprisoned large numbers of Nephite soldiers. Those who survived fled to the nearby coastal city of Teancum

The Nephites lost the battle for Desolation because they had been the aggressors. You can see how the judgments of God subdue the wicked. When people incite violence and warfare, it is the wicked who punish the wicked.

In the 364th year, the Lamanites prepared to conquer the city of Teancum, but were driven back by the Nephites. After this victory the Nephites became boastful of their strength again and recaptured the city of Desolation. During this campaign thousands of soldiers on both sides were killed.

In the 366th year after Christ’s arrival, the Lamanites attacked again. An orgy of blood and killing ensued. The unrepentant Nephites took delight in their wickedness, and both sides rejoiced in the horrible carnage. It was so ugly that it is impossible to adequately write about or describe. This was the worst violence and wickedness that had ever happened among the descendants of Lehi since they left Jerusalem 960 years earlier. In the end, superior numbers of soldiers allowed the Lamanites to reconquer the city of Desolation. After taking Desolation the Lamanites then drove the Nephites out of Teancum and took great numbers of women and children prisoners. These prisoners were then sacrificed to their idol gods.

In the 367th year, the Nephites were driven by rage at the foul murder of their women and children. Again, the Nephites beat the Lamanites back, and drove them from their lands. For eight years after that, the Lamanites left the Nephites alone.

In the 375th year, the Lamanites attacked once again. This time their army was so large that no one even knew how many warriors there were. From this point onward, the Nephites lost all advantage, and the Lamanites swept them from the land like dew on a hot, sunny day. First, the Lamanites conquered Desolation again. When the Nephites retreated to the city of Boaz they were defeated there on the second battle. The Nephites soldiers were driven and slaughtered, and their women and children were sacrificed to the Lamanite idols. The survivors fled again, gathering up all the Nephites from towns and villages in their path of retreat.

When I saw that the Lamanites were about to conquer the whole land, I went to the hill named Shim, and took with me all of the records that Ammaron had hidden there, at the request of God.