Siege Warfare is the surrounding and confinement of an opposing people in order to compel surrender. In the twenty and first year, Zemnarihah caused the robbers to “lay siege round about the people of Nephi,” intending to “hem them in on every side” and cut them off from “all their outward privileges” (3 Nephi 4:16-17). The robbers could not maintain the siege because of “their much provision which they had laid up in store” among the Nephites (3 Nephi 4:18-20).
Wild game became scarce in the wilderness, and the robbers were “about to perish with hunger” (3 Nephi 4:18-20). The Nephites marched out “by day and by night,” and Zemnarihah commanded his people to withdraw from the siege (3 Nephi 4:21-23). Gidgiddoni placed Nephite armies in the robbers’ route of retreat, and many thousands yielded themselves prisoners (3 Nephi 4:24-27).