Helaman 1:21-34

²¹ And it came to pass that Pacumeni, who was the chief judge, did flee before Coriantumr, even to the walls of the city.  And it came to pass that Coriantumr did smite him against the wall, insomuch that he died.  And thus ended the days of Pacumeni.

²² And now when Coriantumr saw that he was in possession of the city of Zarahemla, and saw that the Nephites had fled before them, and were slain, and were taken, and were cast into prison, and that he had obtained the possession of the strongest hold in all the land, his heart took courage insomuch that he was about to go forth against all the land. ²³ And now he did not tarry in the land of Zarahemla, but he did march forth with a large army, even towards the city of Bountiful; for it was his determination to go forth and cut his way through with the sword, that he might obtain the north parts of the land. ²⁴ And, supposing that their greatest strength was in the center of the land, therefore he did march forth, giving them no time to assemble themselves together save it were in small bodies; and in this manner they did fall upon them and cut them down to the earth.

Helaman 1:21 – 24 (Emphasis mine)

For the second time in about a year, the chief judge suffers a violent death.  Seeing the army taking over Zarahemla, Pacumeni attempted to flee to save himself.  Arriving at the city wall, he met Coriantumr.  “Coriantumr did smite him … insomuch that he died.”

Having taken control of the city, Coriantumr wanted “all the land.”  He began marching towards Bountiful and killed any opposition to his army.  As with the attack on Zarahemla, this was an unexpected move on the part of Coriantumr and the Nephites were not prepared to fight back.

²⁵ But behold, this march of Coriantumr through the center of the land gave Moronihah great advantage over them, notwithstanding the greatness of the number of the Nephites who were slain. ²⁶ For behold, Moronihah had supposed that the Lamanites durst not come into the center of the land, but that they would attack the cities round about in the borders as they had hitherto done; therefore Moronihah had caused that their strong armies should maintain those parts round about by the borders.

²⁷ But behold, the Lamanites were not frightened according to his desire, but they had come into the center of the land, and had taken the capital city which was the city of Zarahemla, and were marching through the most capital parts of the land, slaying the people with a great slaughter, both men, women, and children, taking possession of many cities and of many strongholds. ²⁸ But when Moronihah had discovered this, he immediately sent forth Lehi with an army round about to head them before they should come to the land Bountiful. ²⁹ And thus he did; and he did head them before they came to the land Bountiful, and gave unto them battle, insomuch that they began to retreat back towards the land of Zarahemla.

Helaman 1:25 – 29 (Emphasis mine)

They key to Coriantumr’s ultimate defeat was the fact he went “through the center of the land.”  The Lamanites had never attacked this way.  They would attack the Nephite lands along the borders.  Moronihah had the majority of his armies along the border.  This would lead to Coriantumr’s defeat.  Hugh Nibley explains:

“[The Lamanites] struck with such speed and force under the leadership of the Nephite defector Coriantumr that it achieved a complete surprise, and before anyone was aware of what had happened, he had succeeded in taking and occupying Zarahemla itself! (Helaman 1:18—20). Coriantumr instantly followed up his advantage by marching through the country almost unopposed (Helaman 1:24), burning and destroying as he went, ‘slaying the people with a great slaughter, both men, women, and children’ (Helaman 1:27). But like the Germans in Russia, Coriantumr had really gotten himself in a jam: his drive had been successful because it was completely unexpected; and it had been unexpected because it was utterly foolish. The Nephite forces were stationed, of course, on the frontiers (Helaman 1:18, 26), and so Coriantumr's great breakthrough which had put him in the heart of the country had also got him neatly surrounded (Helaman 1:25, 32).”[1]  (Emphasis mine)

Moronihah’s army met Coriantumr before they arrived at Bountiful.  The Lamanites were forced to retreat back to the land of Zarahemla.

³⁰ And it came to pass that Moronihah did head them in their retreat, and did give unto them battle, insomuch that it became an exceedingly bloody battle; yea, many were slain, and among the number who were slain Coriantumr was also found. ³¹ And now, behold, the Lamanites could not retreat either way, neither on the north, nor on the south, nor on the east, nor on the west, for they were surrounded on every hand by the Nephites.

³² And thus had Coriantumr plunged the Lamanites into the midst of the Nephites, insomuch that they were in the power of the Nephites, and he himself was slain, and the Lamanites did yield themselves into the hands of the Nephites. ³³ And it came to pass that Moronihah took possession of the city of Zarahemla again, and caused that the Lamanites who had been taken prisoners should depart out of the land in peace. ³⁴ And thus ended the forty and first year of the reign of the judges.

Helaman 1:30 – 34 (Emphasis mine)

Finally, the armies met in “an exceedingly bloody battle.”  Many were killed.  Among the dead included the Lamanite commander, Coriantumr.  The Lamanites were surrounded by the Nephites. 

“And thus had Coriantumr plunged the Lamanites into the midst of the Nephites.”  I can feel Mormon’s contempt for Coriantumr.  His tactics led to the destruction of his army. 

Moronihah followed the tradition of his father.  The Lamanites surrendered and were taken prisoner.  When they agreed to leave in peace, they were released and returned to their lands.

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[1] A Rigorous Test: Military History, Hugh Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed June 7, 2012.