This is a new chapter in the 1830 edition, as it begins with a new year and a complete change of topic from the story of the stripling soldiers that ended our Chapter 53. Early in Chapter 53, Mormon had spoken of the Lamanite prisoners. Mormon returns to the issue of prisoners, but now to the question of Nephite prisoners, who the Lamanites were holding.
Mormon gives us an important insight into the nature of this particular war. The Lamanites had invaded Nephite lands, bringing their armies, which were all male. Although it would not be unusual for some women to accompany the armies, the women would not be among those fighting, and therefore it would be rare that a Lamanite prisoner were a woman. Thus, verse 3 confirms that “there was not a woman nor a child among all the prisoners of Moroni.”
The Lamanites, however, had invaded cities, and therefore had taken Nephites in their homes. They certainly had many women and children as prisoners (again as noted in verse 3). This disparity in the types of prisoners also suggests the reason that Ammoron desired a prisoner exchange. With the women and children, Ammoron had mouths to feed that were not available for forced labor. If he could exchange women and children for soldiers, he would be much further ahead.
On Moroni’s side of the equation, these were Nephite women and children, and therefore much more valuable to the Nephites than to the Lamanites. Mormon wanted to free as many as possible.