THE RELIEF OF MANTI—THE OVERTHROW OF THE KING MEN—PACHUS SLAIN—THE STRUGGLE AT MORONI—TEANCUM SLAYS AMMORON, BUT AT THE COST OF HIS OWN LIFE—TEANCUM'S NOBLE CHARACTER.

(ALMA CHAP. 58 TO 62.)

AFTER the battle at Cumeni, the Lamanites retreated eastward to Manti, which was situated on the upper waters of the Sidon. Nor was it for several months that this city could be taken, as owing to internal dissensions at the Nephite capital, and the attempts on the part of some of the people to overthrow the republic and establish a monarchy, Pahoran, the chief judge, was unable to supply the necessary provisions and reinforcements.

In this strait Helaman and his fellow officers called on the Lord in fervent prayer, which was not unanswered. They received assurances of deliverance and victory. These blessed assurances inspired fresh faith and infused renewed courage in the war-weary hearts of those not given to the love of carnage. Fired with the determination, by God's grace, to conquer, they entered on a campaign against the city of Manti, which, by strategy, they captured before the end of the year (B. C. 63). The moral effect of this victory was so great that the Lamanites retreated into the wilderness, evacuating the whole of the territory on the west, but unfortunately taking with them, as prisoners, many women and children.

For more than a year Moroni could not send the needed help to Helaman. The rebels in Zarahemla had driven the chief judge out of the city, and he had taken refuge in Gideon. From there he wrote to Moroni to come to his assistance, which that officer did at the earliest possible moment, leaving the armies in the north-east under the command of Lehi and Teancum. As he advanced he rallied the people on his line of march to the defense of the liberties of the republic, and was so successful that, after having joined the chief judge, Pahoran, he succeeded in overthrowing the "king men," killing their leader, Pachus, and completely crushing the rebellion. This being accomplished, he sent 6,000 men with the necessary provisions to reinforce Helaman (B. C. 61).

The campaign during this year, along the Atlantic coast, was a decisive one. At last the soldiers of Ammoron were driven out of Omner, Morianton, Gid, Lehi, Nephihah, and every other Nephite city on that sea-board, except the outlying one, called Moroni, where the whole of the invading host was massed for a final desperate stand, and around which Moroni, by hurried and lengthened marches, had concentrated his warriors.

It was the night before an expected decisive battle, and the Nephite officers and soldiers were too fatigued to either devise stratagems or execute them. Teancum alone was in a condition of unrest. He remembered with intense bitterness all the bloodshed, woes, hardships, famine, etc., that had been brought about in this great and lasting war between the two races, which he rightly attributed to the infamous ambition of Amalickiah and Ammoron. He reflected how he had slain the former, and determined that as he had slain Amalickiah, so should Ammoron fall. In his anger he stole forth into the enemy's camp, let himself over the walls of the city, sought out the king's tent, and when he had found the object of his search, he cast a javelin at him, which pierced him near the heart. But, unlike Amalickiah, Ammoron's death was not instantaneous. He had time to awaken his servant before he passed away. The alarm was given, the guards started in pursuit; Teancum was overtaken, caught and slain. On the morrow Moroni attacked the Lamanites, defeated them with great slaughter, captured the city, and drove them entirely out of Nephite territory. (B. C. 61).

The writer of the Book of Alma records: When Lehi and Moroni knew that Teancum was dead, they were exceedingly sorrowful; for behold, he had been a man who had fought valiantly for his country; yea, a true friend to liberty, and he had suffered very many exceeding sore afflictions. But behold, he was dead, and had gone the way of all the earth.

In that glorious galaxy of patriot-priests, or warrior-prophets, call them which we may, to whose stern integrity, inspired valor, and unflinching virtue the Nephite republic, in the days of which we write, owed so much of its stability and was so greatly indebted for its perpetuity, Teancum shines among the brightest. View him from whatever point we please, there is no mistaking the man. His ardent disposition, his fiery impetuosity, his zealous patriotism, his undaunted courage, his love of liberty, his entire disinterestedness, shine forth in every action. Indeed, we might almost call him rash, so little did he consider his personal safety when he thought the good of his country required the sacrifice.

In picturing the heroes of those days, Teancum looms up before us almost as a Hotspur or Murat. In our mind's eye we can see him charging the solid phalanxes of the Lamanites, rushing at full speed towards the enemy several lengths ahead of his line of battle; his commanding presence inspiring confidence, his unwavering voice ringing out the word of command, his bright armor shining in the sun, and his hair streaming from beneath his helmet, as, regardless of all save the liberties of his country, he falls upon the thickest of the foe, seeking out their chief captains, that by their death an end may possibly be put to the horrors of war. Thus we find him slaying with his own hand, at different times, Morianton, Amalickiah and Ammoron. In fact, it is quite noticeable that in nearly all the great battles of this age, the Nephites appear to have made it a conspicuous part of their policy to slay the commander of the opposing hosts. So fell Amlici, Morianton, Jacob, Coriantumr and others.