Alma 43:16 - 43:20

Alma 43: 16 Now, the leader of the Nephites, or the man who had been appointed to be the chief captain over the Nephites—now the chief captain took the command of all the armies of the Nephites—and his name was Moroni;

All the Nephite armies had been put under the command of a man named Moroni.

Alma 43: 17 And Moroni took all the command, and the government of their wars. And he was only twenty and five years old when he was appointed chief captain over the armies of the Nephites.

He was put in complete control of all military operations and strategies. He was the soul commander of the armies and was only 25 years old.

He must have been quite a character and an outstanding individual to be put into this position. Reminds one of Joan of Ark who had control the the French armies at the age of 17.

Alma 43: 18 And it came to pass that he met the Lamanites in the borders of Jershon, and his people were armed with swords, and with cimeters, and all manner of weapons of war.

On the border between Jershon and Antionum, the armies met. The Nephites were well armed with swords, cimeters and other protections.

Alma 43: 19 And when the armies of the Lamanites saw that the people of Nephi, or that Moroni, had prepared his people with breastplates and with arm-shields, yea, and also shields to defend their heads, and also they were dressed with thick clothing—

The individual soldiers in the Nephite army were protected with thick clothing, breastplates, arm shields and head gear.

Alma 43: 20 Now the army of Zerahemnah was not prepared with any such thing; they had only their swords and their cimeters, their bows and their arrows, their stones and their slings; and they were naked, save it were a skin which was girded about their loins; yea, all were naked, save it were the Zoramites and the Amalekites;

The individual Lamanite soldier was not so protected. They had the same weapons but no body armor. They were naked accept for a loin cloth. However, their Zoramite and Amalikite commanders were covered with body protection but the individual Lamanite soldier was not.