Alma 57:12-23

¹² And it came to pass that not many days had passed away before the Lamanites began to lose all hopes of succor; therefore they yielded up the city unto our hands; and thus we had accomplished our designs in obtaining the city Cumeni. ¹³ But it came to pass that our prisoners were so numerous that, notwithstanding the enormity of our numbers, we were obliged to employ all our force to keep them, or to put them to death. ¹⁴ For behold, they would break out in great numbers, and would fight with stones, and with clubs, or whatsoever thing they could get into their hands, insomuch that we did slay upwards of two thousand of them after they had surrendered themselves prisoners of war. ¹⁵ Therefore it became expedient for us, that we should put an end to their lives, or guard them, sword in hand, down to the land of Zarahemla; and also our provisions were not any more than sufficient for our own people, notwithstanding that which we had taken from the Lamanites.

Alma 57:12-15 (Emphasis mine)

After a few days, the Lamanites were running out of provisions.  They were force to surrender the city of Cumeni to Helaman(2).  This raised another, very serious, problem.

During the battles, the Nephite army took many prisoners of war.  They became so numerous, that guarding them became a problem.  Here we see the Nephite philosophy of not killing their prisoners.  “Even when guarding and transporting captured enemy troops meant risking the lives of Nephite soldiers and nearly depleting their own supplies, Nephite commanders preferred imprisoning Lamanites to executing them (see Alma 57:13-16). As a rule, the Nephites never killed an enemy who surrendered.”[1]

With their numbers, the Lamanites felt that escape was an option.  “[T]hey would break out in great numbers, and would fight with stones, and with clubs, or whatsoever thing they could get into their hands, insomuch that we did slay upwards of two thousand of them after they had surrendered themselves prisoners of war.” “By now the Nephites were simply swamped with prisoners of war, who seeing the embarrassment of their captors began to stage prison riots, ‘for behold, they would break out in great numbers, and would fight with stones, and with clubs’ (Alma 57:14), and had to be bloodily suppressed (Alma 57:14—16).”[2]

Running out of supplies and having to battle their prisoners, “it became expedient for us, that we should put an end to their lives, or guard them, sword in hand, down to the land of Zarahemla.” 

¹⁶ And now, in those critical circumstances, it became a very serious matter to determine concerning these prisoners of war; nevertheless, we did resolve to send them down to the land of Zarahemla; therefore we selected a part of our men, and gave them charge over our prisoners to go down to the land of Zarahemla. ¹⁷ But it came to pass that on the morrow they did return.  And now behold, we did not inquire of them concerning the prisoners; for behold, the Lamanites were upon us, and they returned in season to save us from falling into their hands.  For behold, Ammoron had sent to their support a new supply of provisions and also a numerous army of men. ¹⁸ And it came to pass that those men whom we sent with the prisoners did arrive in season to check them, as they were about to overpower us.

Alma 57:16–18 (Emphasis mine)

It was decided to take the prisoners to the land of Zarahemla.  The next day they returned, without the prisoners (“we did not inquire of them concerning the prisoners”).  The Lamanites had return and a battle was taking place.  Ammoron had replenished his army with provisions and men.  The group who had been sent to take the prisoners to arrived just in time to help the remainder of the army in their battle as the Lamanites “were about to overpower us.”

“A very large body of prisoners was being escorted back to the capital by crack Nephite troops when they collided with a Lamanite army escorting a large supply train —embarrassing moments (Alma 57:16—17). The guards forgot about their prisoners and high-tailed it back to Helaman's headquarters or command post to report the new danger; only just as they arrived there they found the headquarters company hotly engaged with the advanced elements of the same Lamanite army, and were able to join in the fighting just in time to turn the tide and save the command post (Alma 57:18).”[3]

¹⁹ But behold, my little band of two thousand and sixty fought most desperately; yea, they were firm before the Lamanites, and did administer death unto all those who opposed them. ²⁰ And as the remainder of our army were about to give way before the Lamanites, behold, those two thousand and sixty were firm and undaunted. ²¹ Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them.

²² And now behold, it was these my sons, and those men who had been selected to convey the prisoners, to whom we owe this great victory; for it was they who did beat the Lamanites; therefore they were driven back to the city of Manti. ²³ And we retained our city Cumeni, and were not all destroyed by the sword; nevertheless, we had suffered great loss.

Alma 57:19–23 (Emphasis mine)

The stripling warriors “fought most desperately … and did administer death unto all those who opposed them.”  The rest of the army was “about to give way before the Lamanites” but the 2,060 continued to fight.

The Nephite army eventually defeated the Lamanite army, but at a high price.  They retained the city of Cumeni, but they lost many men.

“Again it was the 2,000, now augmented by 60 more boys from home, who turned the tide, for ‘they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness’ (Alma 57:19—21). Helaman explains that their mothers taught them that God would protect them if they were upright, and they had believed what they were taught, did what they were told, and ‘were firm and undaunted.’ And indeed, though they were all wounded in the battle, not a single one of them lost his life…”[4]

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[1] Law and War in the Book of Mormon, John W. Welch, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed May 12, 2012.

[2] A Rigorous Test: Military History, Hugh Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed May 12, 2012.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.