In the year 72B.C., the armies of Moroni drove the Lamanites out of that portion of the east wilderness bordering on the Land of Zarahemla into their own lands. The northern line or boundary of the latter ran in a straight course from the sea east to the sea west. The Lamanites having been driven out of those portions of the wilderness north of the dividing line, colonies of Nephites were sent to occupy the country, and build cities on their southern border, even to the Atlantic Coast. To protect the new settlers, Moroni placed troops all along this line, and caused them to erect fortifications for the better defenses of the frontier. This fortified line ran from the sea west (the Pacific Ocean) by the head of the River Sidon (the Magdalena River) eastward along the northern edge of the wilderness.
Some of the readers of the Book of Mormon have imagined that this line of defense to have been one continuous rampart, or wall—after the style of the Great Wall of China—reaching from ocean to ocean, and on this surmise have argued that the completion of such an immense work in a few years was an impossibility to a people of the limited numerical strength of the Nephites. To get over this difficulty of their own creation they have resorted to various theories of its locality quite inconsistent with its geographical details, on purpose to shorten its distance to what they deem a reasonable length, possible for the Nephites to have built in a few years. The authors hereof hold the opinion that the Book of Mormon conveys no such idea, it simply states that Moroni erected fortifications along this line; or, as they view it, Moroni took advantage of the natural features of the country, its wide rivers, far-reaching swamps, and high mountains, and built fortifications at every point where the Lamanites would find ingress, such as fords of the rivers and the passes between the mountain ridges. There he stationed bodies of troops sufficiently strong to hold their posts, and, if necessary, defend the surrounding country. This system of defense would be more powerful and effective than an artificial wall; high mountains and deep rivers largely taking the place of earthworks, masonry and heavy timbers.
The forces of both races seem to have been foot-soldiers. The authors hereof have failed to notice any passages in the Sacred Record that give a definite assurance that either cavalry or war chariots were used in their campaign. Like nearly all rude or semi-civilized races, the Lamanites depended on the strength of numbers and brute force for victory in the open field. They massed their troops in solid phalanxes, or bodies, and with wild cries rushed to the assault in the hopes of bearing down all resistance by their superior numbers, as in almost every war they greatly outnumbered the Nephites. Indeed, it is doubtful if even the Nephites used much scientific strategy previous to the days of Moroni. Before then it was a hand-to-hand conflict, wherein the Nephites, though fewer in numbers, had many advantages over their half-naked foes by reason of superior weapons and defensive armor, and above all, through the blessing and guidance of the Lord.
It does not appear, as far as can be gathered from the record, that any great improvements, either in the system of fortification, the style of defensive armor, or the manufacture of their weapons, were made by the Nephite commanders who lived after the days of Moroni. There is another kind of defensive clothing besides armor plate mentioned as being worn by the ancient American warriors. It consisted of heavy and very thick clothing, possibly made of cotton or woolen cloth, padded. Moroni uniformed some of his soldiers in this manner when he first took command of the Nephite armies (74B.C.), and the next year the Lamanites followed his example and not only prepared themselves with shields and breastplates, but also with garments of skins “yea, thick garments to cover their nakedness.”
The various enemies that the Nephite armies had to meet, from time to time, on the field of battle—Lamanites, Amulonites, Amalekites, Zoramites, Gadianton Robbers—were very differently equipped for their bloody work. Those who had dissented from the Nephites naturally held to the same tactics, used the same kind of arms and protected their bodies with the same armor as the people to whom they had turned traitors. With the original Lamanites it was different. At first, when they came against the Nephites they were clothed with a short girdle about the loins, and also with their heads shaven. Their skill was with the bow, and the cimiter, and the axe. The dissenters, while armed and equipped like the Nephites, set a mark upon themselves by which they could be distinguished on the battlefield. In doing this they unconsciously fulfilled the Word of the Lord to their fathers. Thus, the followers of Amlici, the would-be king, marked themselves with red in their foreheads after the manner of the Lamanites, though they did not shave their heads as did the direct descendants of Laman. (87B.C.)
The description of the Gadianton Robbers, as they appeared when prepared for war (18B.C.), is a very terrible one. They were girded about after the manner of other plunderers. They had a lamb-like skin about their loins, and they were painted with blood. To make them appear more foreboding, their heads were shorn, and they had headplates. Great and terrible was the appearance of the armies of Giddianhi, because of their armor, and because of their being dyed in blood.