The Lamanite guards held the Nephite prisoners taken in the war against Ammoron, confined in the city of Gid around 63 B.C. (Alma 55:7). Moroni refused to exchange prisoners with Ammoron and instead resolved to free his people by stratagem; he had his men search out a descendant of Laman, and found one named Laman, formerly a servant of the king whom Amalickiah had murdered (Alma 55:1-5). Moroni sent Laman with a small number of men to the guards (Alma 55:6).
In the evening Laman went to the guards. They hailed him, and he told them he was a Lamanite who had escaped from the Nephites while they slept and had brought wine taken from them (Alma 55:8). The guards received him with joy and asked for the wine, saying they were weary; when Laman urged keeping it until they marched against the Nephites, they grew more eager to drink (Alma 55:9-12). They drank freely, found it pleasant and strong, and became drunken and fell into a deep sleep (Alma 55:13-15).
While the guards slept, Moroni brought armed men to the city and passed weapons to the Nephite prisoners, including the women and children able to use them, all in silence (Alma 55:16-17). He chose not to kill the drunken guards, then surrounded the Lamanite army by night (Alma 55:18-21). When the Lamanites awoke surrounded, with the armed prisoners inside the walls, their chief captains laid down their weapons and pleaded for mercy (Alma 55:22-23). Moroni took them prisoner, freed the Nephite captives, who joined his army, and set the captured Lamanites to labor strengthening the fortifications of Gid (Alma 55:24-25).