Alma 52:4

And it came to pass that he did command that his people should maintain those cities which they had taken by the shedding of blood; for they had not taken any cities, save they had lost much blood.

He told his people to keep the cities they had taken by fighting and losing blood. They had not taken any cities without losing many lives.

He commanded his people to hold onto the cities they’d captured through bloodshed. They hadn’t taken a single city without heavy losses.