An Inspired System of Defense

On the tenth day of the eleventh month of 73 BC, the Lamanite armies were seen approaching the land of Ammonihah. That city of Ammonihah had been partly rebuilt, and Moroni had stationed an army near its border. They had piled up banks of dirt around the city, which protected them from stones and arrows—the principal Lamanite weapons.

Because the Lamanites had once destroyed Ammonihah, they thought they could easily destroy it again, not knowing that they had been allowed to destroy it before because the people there had been so wicked.

The Lamanites were greatly disappointed, for the bank of dirt around the city was so high that they could not hit the Nephites with their stones and arrows. The only way they could come in was through a single entrance. The Zoramite chief captains were very surprised by the Nephites’ wisdom in preparing their places of security. They had thought their great numbers would allow them to easily conquer Ammonihah again. They had also prepared themselves with shields, breastplates and thick clothing. They thought they would be able to overpower the Nephites, and kill and capture them as they pleased. But to their complete astonishment, the Nephites were prepared for them in a way never before known among Lehi’s descendants, having prepared for battle according to Moroni’s instructions.

If King Amalickiah had come out of the land of Nephi at the head of his army, perhaps he would have ordered the Lamanites to attack the city of Ammonihah, for he did not care how many Lamanites died in battle.

But Amalickiah had not come to battle, and the Zoramite chief captains dared not attack the city of Ammonihah. Moroni had changed the Nephites’ tactics, and the Lamanites were disappointed in their desire to conquer because of the Nephite strongholds. The Lamanites retreated into the wilderness and marched toward the land of Noah, thinking it was the next best place to attack the Nephites. They did not know that Moroni had fortified every city in all the land, so they marched with firm determination. Their chief captains came forward and took an oath that they would destroy the people in the next city.

Upon arriving, they were astonished to see the city of Noah, once a very weak place, now a stronger fortification than Ammonihah! This had been done according to Moroni’s wisdom. He knew the Lamanites would be frightened upon seeing the city of Ammonihah, and then would come to the city of Noah, which had once been the weakest city in the land.

Lehi, whose army had fought the Lamanites in the valley east of the Sidon River, was appointed by Moroni to be chief captain over the men in the city of Noah. When the Lamanites learned that Lehi commanded the city, they were disappointed again, for they were very much afraid of Lehi. But their chief captains had sworn with an oath to attack the city, so they advanced their armies.

The only way the Lamanites could penetrate the fort was through the entrance, for the bank of dirt was too high, and the ditch was too deep, except at the front entrance. From the top of the bank, the Nephites were ready to shoot arrows and sling rocks at anyone attempting to climb up to enter their fort by any way other than the entrance. Within the entrance, the Nephites had placed their strongest men, armed with swords and slings, to strike down any who attempted to come through. When the Lamanite captains ordered their armies to attack the entrance, they were driven back again and again with an immense slaughter.

When they realized that they could not get through the pass, they started to dig down the dirt banks to make a pass for their armies. As they did this, they were swept off by Nephite stones and arrows. The Lamanites tried to fill up the ditches by pulling down the dirt, but instead the ditches were partly filled with their dead and wounded bodies.

The Nephites had complete power over their enemies, who continued to make attempts to take their stronghold until all their chief captains were dead. Over 1,000 Lamanites were killed, but not a single Nephite was killed.

The Nephites had been protected by their shields, breastplates, and helmets. However, about fifty Nephites had been wounded in their legs, some very severely, having been exposed to Lamanite arrows through the pass. After their chief captains had all been killed, the Lamanites ran away into the wilderness. They returned to the land of Nephi and told their king, Amalickiah, a Nephite by birth, about their great loss. He was very angry with his people for not obtaining his desire to subject the Nephites with the yoke of bondage. He cursed God and cursed Moroni, swearing with an oath that he would drink Moroni’s blood.

On the other hand, the Nephites thanked the Lord their God because of His matchless power in delivering them from the hands of their enemies. This is how 73 BC ended. The Nephites enjoyed continual peace and great prosperity in the church, for they had diligently obeyed God’s word that had been declared to them by Alma’s sons, Helaman, Shiblon, and Corianton, by Ammon and his brethren, and by all who had been ordained by the holy order of God, who had been baptized unto repentance and sent forth to preach among them.