Amalickiah now assumed supreme command, and at the head of his forces he marched towards the Lamanite capital. The king, supposing that the approaching hosts had been raised to carry the war into Zarahemla, came out of the royal city to greet and congratulate him. As the monarch drew near he was traitorously slain by some of the creatures of the subtle general, who at the same time raised the hue and cry that, the king's own servants were the authors of the vile deed. Amalickiah assumed all the airs of grief, affection and righteous indignation that he thought would best suit his purpose. He next made apparently desperate, but purposely ineffectual, efforts to capture those who were charged with the crime, and so adroitly did he carry out his schemes, that before long he wheedled himself into the affections of the queen, whom he married, and he was recognised by the Lamanites as their king. Thus far his ambition was realized, but it was far from satisfied; ambition seldom is.
Amalickiah now cherished the stupendous design of subjugating the Nephites and ruling singly and alone from ocean to ocean (B. C. 73). To accomplish this iniquitous purpose, he dispatched emissaries in all directions whose mission was to stir up the angry passions of the populace against the Nephites. When this vile object was sufficiently accomplished, and the deluded people had become clamorous for war, he raised an immense army, armed and equipped with an excellence never before known among the Lamanites. This force he placed under the command of Zoramite officers, and ordered its advance into the western possessions of the Nephites, where, amongst others, stood the cities of Ammonihah, now rebuilt, and Noah.
The Nephites, during this time, had been watching Amalickiah's movements and energetically preparing for war. When the Lamanites reached Ammonihah they found it too strongly fortified to be taken by assault; they therefore retired to Noah, originally a very weak place, but now, through Moroni's foresight and energy, made stronger than Ammonihah. The Zoramite officers well knew that to return home without having attempted something would be most disastrous, and therefore, though with little hope, made an assault upon Noah. This step resulted in throwing away a thousand lives outside its walls, while its well-protected defenders had but fifty men wounded. After this disastrous attempt the Lamanites marched home. Great was the anger of Amalickiah at the miscarriage of his scheme; he cursed God and swore he would yet drink the blood of Moroni.
During the next year the Lamanites were driven out of the great eastern wilderness, which was occupied by numerous Nephite colonies, who laid the foundations of several new cities along the Atlantic coast. Moroni also established a line of fortifications along the Nephites' southern border, which stretched from one side of the continent to the other.
CHAPTER XXXI.
A FEW YEARS OF PEACE—TEANCUM-THE CONTENTION BETWEEN LEHI AND MORIANTON—AMALICKIAH'S TERRIBLE INVASION—HIS SUCCESS—HE IS STOPPED AT BOUNTIFUL BY TEANCUM—TEANCUM SLAYS AMALICKIAH—AMMORON MADE KING OF THE LAMANITES.
(ALMA CHAP. 50 AND 52.)
A FEW YEARS of peace and prosperity now followed. The Nephites multiplied exceedingly and grew very rich. They were also greatly blessed of the Lord; and the sacred historian informs us there never was a happier time among the people of Nephi than at this time. Sad to say, this blessed era lasted but a few years. A local quarrel between two cities on the Atlantic sea-board regarding their respective boundaries was the cause of the first fresh outbreak. At this point we are introduced to another great general of the Nephites, named Teancum.