▁command ▁based ▁at ▁R aba ul ▁and ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Lieutenant - General ▁Har uk ichi ▁Hy ak ut ake — with ▁the ▁task ▁of ▁ret aking ▁Gu adal can al . ▁Units ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁Army ▁began ▁to ▁arrive ▁on ▁Gu adal can al ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁August ▁to ▁drive ▁Al lied ▁forces ▁from ▁the ▁island . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁Japanese ▁attempt ▁to ▁re capt ure ▁Hend erson ▁Field ▁failed ▁when ▁a ▁ 9 1 7 - man ▁force ▁was ▁defeated ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁August ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Ten aru . ▁The ▁next ▁attempt ▁took ▁place ▁from ▁ 1 2 – 1 4 ▁ ▁September , ▁ending ▁in ▁the ▁defeat ▁of ▁the ▁ 6 , 0 0 0 ▁soldiers ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Major ▁General ▁Ki y ot ake ▁K aw ag uch i ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Ed son ' s ▁R idge . ▁K aw ag uch i ▁and ▁the ▁surv iving ▁Japanese ▁troops ▁then ▁re group ed ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁Mat an ik au ▁River ▁on ▁Gu adal can al . ▁ ▁Battle ▁for ▁Hend erson ▁Field ▁ ▁Between ▁ 1 ▁and ▁ 1 7 ▁October , ▁the ▁Japanese ▁delivered ▁ 1 5 , 0 0 0   t ro ops ▁to ▁Gu adal can al , ▁giving ▁Hy ak ut ake ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁total ▁troops ▁to ▁employ ▁for ▁his ▁planned ▁off ensive . ▁After ▁his ▁staff ▁officers ▁observed ▁the ▁American ▁def enses ▁around ▁L ung