Let us first determine whether Coriantumr’s final battle with Shiz, occurred at Hill Ramah in New York. or someplace in Mesoamerica? 

“And it came to pass that the army of Coriantumr did pitch their tents by the hill Ramah; and it was that same hill where my father Mormon did hide up the records unto the Lord, (NY Cumorah) which were sacred.” Ether 5:11

The Mesoamerican Theorists say Joseph did receive the plates from Moroni in the New York Cumorah, but they insist the final battles occurred some place in Mexico. That makes no sense. This earlier scripture says that the same hill that Moroni hid up the gold plates and the final battles were in that same area of Cumorah Land in  New York.

John W. Welch a Mesoamerican Theorist

“Though evidence from the Book of Mormon is not conclusive, final battles of the Nephites and the Jaredites probably took place not far north of the narrow neck of land. (Meso claims that Narrow Neck of Land was Panama or the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Heartlanders believe it is the Niagara Peninsula). Welch continues. “As shown, the Nephites marched from Angola, through David, and eventually came to the city of Joshua (see Mormon 2:4–6). Nephite defense lines lay in Joshua for fourteen years; finally they collapsed, and Nephites retreated across the narrow neck of land, fleeing to various sites (see Mormon 2:16). The hill Ramah/Cumorah, upon which both the Jaredites and Nephites fought their last battles (see Ether 15:11; Mormon 6:4–6), is shown here on the northwestern edge of the Tuxtla Mountains in Mexico, about ninety miles from a narrow pass (see Mormon 3:5). Other Jaredite locations, including Omer’s flight to Ramah (see Ether 9:3), are also shown here. Again, these locations are plausible, but not definite.” Welch, John W. (Primary), and Welch, Greg (Primary) Number 13-159 Publisher Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies City Provo, UT. URL https://byustudies.byu.edu/charts/13-159-plausible-locations-final-battles

What brother Welsh fails to mention is the Narrow Neck of Land in Ether 10:20 is not the record of the Nephites, it is a record of the Jaredites. There are also three very different “necks” mentioned in the Book of Mormon. In my opinion Necks 2, and 3 below, have to do with the Nephites as you read in Alma 63 and in Alma 22.

Above shows the Niagara Peninsula is only 24 miles wide which is a very Narrow Neck of Land compared to 51 or 124 miles in the Mesoamerican theory shown below.

Below is a map of understanding the Narrow Neck of Land Geography. The Erie Watershed is the likely path of the Jaredites to get from Buffalo, NY to the west side of Lake Wainfleet. The Line Fortified (a day for a Nephite) and the Narrow Passage (a day and a half for a Nephite) are shown. This means it only took those times to go from the Land North (Buffalo, NY) to the Land South.(south of the Allegheny River)

The likely truth of Cumorah in NY seems clear. The final battles were near the Hill Ramah, not ON the Hill but around in the open land near Ramah/Cumorah.

Between These Hills

As you see the map above in yellow, between these hills is described by Oliver Cowdery in Letter VII.

In 1835 Oliver Cowdery wrote a series of letters to W. W. Phelps, the editor of the Messenger and Advocate. These were titled, Letter I, Letter II. Letter III, Letter IV, Letter V, Letter VI, Letter VII, and Letter VIII. (Link directs you to the Joseph Smith Papers Online) The Messenger and Advocate was published with the direction and approval of Joseph Smith. In 1841 these same letters were published in Nauvoo in the Times and Seasons (V. 2, p. 379). These letters were again published in The Improvement Era (1899, Vol. 2, pp. 729-734).

Oliver Cowdery wrote that the Ephraimites and the Lamanites were the “original settlers of this continent,” and that “an ancient prophet caused the plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated to be buried nearly two thousand years ago, in which is now called Ontario County, New York.

In this same issue, W. W. Phelps wrote that it was “by that book [the Book of Mormon] I learned that the poor Indians of America were of the remnants of Israel.” Many other times editor Phelps identified the land of America as being the place where at least some Book of Mormon history took place, including the last battles of both the Jaredites and the Nephites (see Messenger and Advocate, vol. 2, October 1835, and the letter of W. W. Phelps to Oliver Cowdery in that same issue.) Oliver Cowdery Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate, July 1835, pp. 158-159

“[In regards to the hill Cumorah in New York] At about one mile west rises another ridge of less height, running parallel with the former . . . between these hills, the entire power and national strength of both the Jaredites and Nephites were destroyed. By turning to the 529th and 530th pages of the Book of Mormon, you will read Mormon’s account of the last great struggle of his people, as they were encamped round this hill Cumorah.  In this valley fell the remaining strength and pride of a once powerful people, the Nephites—once so highly favored of the Lord, but at that time in darkness, doomed to suffer extermination by the hand of their barbarous and uncivilized brethren. From the top of this hill, Mormon, with a few others, after the battle, gazed with horror upon the mangled remains of those who, the day before, were filled with anxiety, hope, or doubt.” Oliver Cowdery’s Letter VII Joseph Smith Papers “Letter VII,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, July 1835, 1:155–159 . 

“The only sure Fact is the one that Oliver Cowdery gave us, that Cumorah/Ramah is the hill in New York, and the mile-wide valley to the west is the scene of the final battles. It is also a fact that Joseph Smith wrote about the “plains of the Nephites” but that’s a vague term that can be interpreted many ways. Same with Zelph and all the rest.” Jonathan Neville

George Q Cannon

Cannon’s article below is another strong piece of evidence for the Heartland/single-Cumorah view, because a senior Church leader standing at the New York hill in 1873 explicitly identifies it as all four in one: Cumorah, Ramah, Gold Bible Hill, and the place where Coriantumr’s people were destroyed. This directly supports your earlier point that Coriantumr’s journey to Zarahemla (Iowa) began right there at that New York hill.

George Q. Cannon said, “We had proceeded a little over a mile on the road when the driver of the carriage pointed out a hill to us on our left, which he said was “Mormon Hill.” We supposed that by this he meant Cumorah. Though in its general appearance it resembled the descriptions we had had of Cumorah, yet we were somewhat disappointed in its size, as it was not so high a hill as many others which we saw in the neighborhood. In fact, as we rode along, we saw several hills which we thought more like what we imagined Cumorah to be than the one pointed out to us. We rode on for probably two miles farther, conversing but very little and each absorbed in his own reflections, when we saw, immediately in front of us. a hill that rose suddenly, almost precipitously, from the plain. Brother Brigham, Jun., remarked when we saw it: “There is a hill which agrees in appearance with my idea of Cumorah.“

In this opinion the Editor coincided. The driver, hearing our remarks, turned to us and said: “Yes, this is Gold Bible Hill.” We then learned that Cumorah was known through the country by the name of “Gold Bible Hill.” We asked him what he meant by calling the other, which he had pointed out to us, “‘Mormon Hill.” He replied that there was a cave in that hill which the “Mormons” had dug and some of them had lived in it, so the people said; and, therefore, it was known by that name.  Close at the foot of Cumorah there is a comfortable firm house…

This was the hill Ramah of the Jaredites, and it is probable, that, in this vicinity, Coriantumr and Shiz, with the people whom they led, fought their last battle. For this great battle they were four years preparing, gathering the people together from all parts of the land, and arming men and women, and even children. The battle lasted eight days, and the result was the complete extermination of the Jaredite nation, none being left but the prophet Ether — who warned the nation of the fate that awaited it unless the people repented, and who lived to record the fulfilment of his own warnings and predictions — and Coriantumr who succeeded in slaying his mortal enemy, Shiz.

It is probable that the prophet Ether, when he emerged from his hiding-place to view the destruction of his race, which he had been inspired to foretell, had ascended this hill and from its summit had gazed with profound grief upon the thousands of slain which lay scattered unburied upon the surface of the earth around. He and Coriantumr alone of all that mighty race which had flourished for upwards of fifteen hundred years, were loft. Who can imagine the feelings which he must have had on such an occasion? From the summit of this hill, doubtless, Mormon and his great son Moroni had also witnessed the gathering of the hosts of the Nephites and the dusky and myriad legions of their deadly enemies, the Lamanites. Around this hill they had marshaled their forces — their twenty- three divsions of ten thousand men each, commanded by the most skillful of their generals; all to be swept away, except Mormon and Moroni and twenty-two others, in one day’s battle, by the fierce and relentless foe whom God permitted to execute his threatened judgment.

I Stealthily perhaps, for fear of exciting the attention of the Lamanites, Mormon and Moroni and their companions may have ascended this hill and gazed on the dreadful scene around them. What a picture of desolation and woe must have met their sight! How deep must have been their anguish at thus witnessing the destruction of the fair ones of their nation! No wonder they cried out in anguish, and mourned with pathetic lamentations the rebellion against God which had brought this terrible destruction upon them. Mormon’s feelings must have been very peculiar. At fifteen years of age chosen to be the commander-in-chief of the armies of his nation, he had fought battle after battle until now, at seventy-four years of age, he witnessed the complete blotting out of what had been the most favored people on the earth. His reflections must have been peculiarly painful, because he knew that had they listened to him he could have saved them.

It was here that he hid the abridgment which he made of the records, and which is now known by his name, and it was here, thirty-six years after this tremendous battle, that his son Moroni also hid his abridgment of the Book of Ether and the record which he had made from which we learn the fate of his father Mormon and his other companion?, that sixteen years after the battle of Cumorah Mormon and all the Nephites except Moroni had been killed by the Lamanites.

It was to this spot that about fourteen hundred years after these events, Joseph Smith, the prophet, was led by Moroni in person and here the records, engraved on plates, were committed to him for translation. Who could tread this ground and reflect upon these mighty events, and not be filled with indescribable emotion ? We were literally surrounded by the graves of two of the mightiest nations which had ever flourished on the earth. We stood in the centre of their burial place. They had rebelled against God, they had slain His prophets, disregarded His warnings and arrayed themselves against Him. His promise and covenant concerning this land are: “that whatsoever nation shall possess it, shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fullness of His wrath shall come upon them. And the fullness of His wrath, cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity; for behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands ; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God, or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God.”  VISIT TO THE LAND AND HILL CUORAH GEORCE O. CANNON – – EDITOR. SATURDAY, JULY 5, 1873. https://archive.org/stream/juvenileinstruct814geor/juvenileinstruct814geor_djvu.txt

James Talmage

“The final struggles between Nephites and Lamanites were waged in the vicinity of the Hill Cumorah, in what is now the State of New York, resulting in the destruction of the Nephites as a nation, about 400 A.D. The last Nephite representative was Moroni, who, wandering for safety from place to place, daily expecting death from the victorious Lamanites, wrote the concluding parts of the Book of Mormon, and hid the record in Cumorah. It was the same Moroni who as a resurrected being, gave the records into the hands of Joseph Smith in the present dispensation.” James Talmage Articles of Faith, Ch 14, Pg. 260.

Joseph Smith Papers

“Coriantumr was the last king of the Jaredites. The opposing army were to the west, and in this same valley, and nearby, from day to day, did that mighty race spill their blood, in wrath, contending, as it were, brother against brother, and father, against son. In this same spot, in full view from the top of this same hill, one may gaze with astonishment upon the ground which was twice covered with the dead and dying of our fellow men. Here may be seen where once sunk to nought the pride and strength of two mighty nations; and here may be contemplated, in solitude, while nothing but the faithful record of Mormon and Moroni is now extant to inform us of the fact, scenes of misery and distress…

In this vale lie commingled, in one mass of ruin the ashes of thousands, and in this vale was destined to consume the fair forms and vigerous [sic] systems of tens of thousands of the human race—blood mixed with blood, flesh with flesh, bones with bones and dust with dust.” http://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-1834-1836/89

Now that we have reasonably established that the final battles of the Jaredites and the Nephites were around and near the Hill in New York, we ask the question. Where was Coriantumr located when he was severely wounded? New York. Now let’s ask, where was Mosiah located when he translated the large stone that Coriantumr gave him? (The Land of Zarahemla, likely in Iowa or Illinois) where Joseph Smith said Zarahemla was located. D&C 125.

How Large was Coriantumr’s Stone?

I asked Claude AI on June 8, 2026:

How large was the stone that Coriantumr showed Mosiah to have translated? Did he carry it or was the stone simply already at a location?