We have the impression that this army of the Lamanites was very large, but the casualties listed are only a thousand. Of course a thousand men is a large number, but it was certainly not the bulk of this Lamanite army. What was the telling turning point is the death of all of the chief captains. In the way Mesoamerican wars were fought, the loss of these captains would be the signal for defeat, and would have been sufficient to call off the attack.