Brandley’s Map – Another Useless Shot in the Dark, Part III

Continuing with Theodore Brandley’s North American setting for his Land of Promise, we revisit his map to show the relationship errors according to the scriptural record.

Brandley’s Map shows the City of Moroni along the East Sea, 2000 miles east of the Land of Nephi. For the Lamanites to attack the city of Moroni, they would have had to bypass the cities of Manti and Jerson as they advanced nearly 2000 miles to attack Moroni

Five years after beginning to build the City of Moroni along the East Sea, the city was attacked by the Lamanites following the war between the Nephites and the King-men. As it is stated: “while Moroni was thus breaking down the wars and contentions among his own people, and subjecting them to peace and civilization, and making regulations to prepare for war against the Lamanites, behold, the Lamanites had come into the land of Moroni, which was in the borders by the seashore” (Alma 50:22)
Can you imagine a Lamanite army marching nearly 2000 miles through Nephite land without anyone noticing?

The record continues: “The Nephites were not sufficiently strong in the city of Moroni…and Amalickiah took possession of the city, yea, possession of all their fortifications” (Alma 51:23). "And those who fled out of the city of Moroni came to the city of Nephihah” (Alma 51:24). Now, according to Brandley's map, these fleeing Nephites traveled about 250 miles from the City of Mornoi to the City of Nephihah, and climbing from around sea level to about 1000 feet in elevation, all the while bypassing the cities of Mulek, Gid, Omner and Morianton on his map, all of which were closer and along the seashore—Mulek being only about 50 miles away on his map. It would seem that fleeing civilians with their women and children would choose a shorter, easier distance to travel to safety (Mulek) than going 250 miles overland to Nephihah.

In addition, “the people of the city of Lehi gathered themselves together, and made preparations and were ready to receive the Lamanites to battle" (Alma 51:24). But, according to Brandley’s map, the city of Lehi was the furthest away from Moroni, being north of Morianton, Omner, Gid and Mulek. Yet, when Alma writes about the cities the Lamanites attacked after securing the city of Moroni, he lists them as “And thus he went on, taking possession of many cities, the city of Nephihah, and the city of Lehi, and the city of Morianton, and the city of Omner, and the city of Gid, and the city of Mulek, all of which were on the east borders by the seashore" (Alma 51:26).

Generally, military battles are listed chronology in in the order they occur, which means that, according to Brandley's map, the Lamanites traveled in a great circle, from the city of Moroni 250 miles northwest to Nephihah, two hundred fifty miles east to Lehi, then down the coast to Morianton, Omner, Gib, Mulek, and back to Moroni—then to retrace their steps back some 350 miles toward Bountiful beyond Nephihah. This does not seem to make much in following the scripturtal record using Brandley’s map.

Also, in using Brandley's map, the interesting thing about the following battles between Captain Moroni and his Nephite army and the armies of the Lamanites, is that the Lamanites retreated to the east (Atlantic Ocean) from Nephihah--the Land of Nephi was nearly 2000 miles to the West--and then retreated south toward the area of Florida, entrapping themselves by 2000 miles of ocean between Florida and the Land of Nephi). No army would do that. They would have retreated westward toward their own homeland, not away from it and especially not into a Peninsula which was surrounded by water.

No, Brandley’s map makes no sense when you compare it with the scriptural record. The distances alone are ridiculous. What Army is going to cross 2000 miles of enemy territory to attack a city? When they captured several cities 2000 miles away from their own lands and got embroiled in the battles with the Nephite armies, why would they retreat away from their own land? Having been in the military and commanded troop movements, studied and carried out military tactics, etc., I can tell you simply no army would do such a thing.

Brandley, in his indefensible map and locations for his Land of Promise obviously has not considered the various scriptures that outline the events that he has placed in such distances, locations, and directions that cannot stand up to scriptural criticism is without merit and justification. Not to mention the location of places that are in complete disagreement with the scriptural record! Alma 22:27-34 alone shows the untenable position of trying to defend Brandley’s map, not to mention the numerous other scriptural references that are in total disagreement with his map!

(See the next post, “Brandley’s Map – Another Useless Shot in the Dark, Part IV,” to see how other ways his map does not meet the simplest criteria of Mormon’s explanation of the appearance and layout of the Land of Promise)