▁who ▁had ▁run ▁out ▁of ▁food ▁several ▁days ▁before , ▁began ▁the ▁retre at ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁October . ▁During ▁the ▁retre at , ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁Japanese ▁wounded ▁succ um bed ▁to ▁their ▁inj uries ▁and ▁were ▁buried ▁along ▁the ▁Mar uy ama ▁road . ▁One ▁of ▁Mar uy ama ' s ▁men , ▁Lieutenant ▁Ke ij iro ▁Min eg ishi , ▁noted ▁in ▁his ▁di ary , ▁" I ▁never ▁dream ed ▁of ▁retre ating ▁over ▁the ▁same ▁mountain ous ▁trail ▁through ▁the ▁j ung le ▁we ▁crossed ▁with ▁such ▁enthus ias m ... ▁we ▁haven ' t ▁e aten ▁in ▁three ▁days ▁and ▁even ▁walking ▁is ▁difficult . ▁On ▁the ▁up ▁hill ▁my ▁body ▁s way ed ▁around ▁unable ▁to ▁walk . ▁I ▁must ▁rest ▁every ▁two ▁meters ." ▁ ▁Le ading ▁elements ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Division ▁reached ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁Army ▁headquarters ▁area ▁at ▁K ok umb ona , ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁Mat an ik au ▁on ▁ 4 ▁November . ▁The ▁same ▁day , ▁Sho ji ' s ▁unit ▁reached ▁K oli ▁Point ▁and ▁made ▁camp . ▁Dec im ated ▁by ▁battle ▁death s , ▁combat ▁inj uries , ▁mal nut r ition , ▁and ▁tropical ▁dise ases , ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Division ▁was ▁in cap able ▁of ▁further ▁off ensive ▁action ▁and ▁would ▁fight ▁as ▁a ▁def ensive ▁force ▁for ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁campaign . ▁Later ▁in ▁November , ▁U . S . ▁forces ▁drove ▁Sho ji ' s ▁soldiers