▁often ▁involved ▁tact ical ▁exer cis es ▁conducted ▁at ▁night . ▁The ▁batt alion ▁was ▁organized ▁into ▁six ▁self - cont ained ▁rif le ▁companies ▁and ▁a ▁headquarters ▁company . ▁Before ▁landing ▁at ▁Gu adal can al ▁elements ▁of ▁the ▁batt alion ▁had ▁seen ▁action ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁g arrison ▁of ▁Mid way ▁At oll ▁during ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Mid way ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁and ▁the ▁near ▁dis astr ous ▁Mak in ▁Island ▁ra id ▁in ▁August . ▁ ▁In ▁early ▁November , ▁V ande gr ift , ▁fear ing ▁that ▁the ▁Japanese ▁were ▁planning ▁an ▁assault ▁on ▁the ▁L ung a ▁per imeter ▁from ▁the ▁east ▁using ▁Sh ō ji ' s ▁forces ▁plus ▁additional ▁rein for c ements , ▁launched ▁an ▁operation ▁against ▁the ▁Japanese ▁units ▁at ▁K oli ▁Point . ▁Begin ning ▁on ▁ 4 ▁November , ▁two ▁batt al ions ▁of ▁U . S . ▁Mar ines ▁and ▁two ▁batt al ions ▁of ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁troops ▁attacked ▁and ▁attempted ▁to ▁enc irc le ▁Sh ō ji ' s ▁men ▁at ▁G av aga ▁Creek ▁near ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁T et ere ▁in ▁the ▁K oli ▁Point ▁area . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁American ▁troops ▁were ▁attempting ▁to ▁destroy ▁Sh ō ji ' s ▁force , ▁V ande gr ift ▁ordered ▁Carl son ' s ▁ra iders ▁to ▁march ▁over land ▁from ▁A ola ▁Bay ▁toward ▁K oli ▁Point ▁to ▁cut ▁off ▁any ▁of ▁Sh ō ji ' s ▁forces ▁that ▁escaped ▁the