▁from ▁K oli ▁Point ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁K ok umb ona ▁area , ▁with ▁a ▁batt alion - s ized ▁Marine ▁pat rol ▁attack ing ▁and ▁har ass ing ▁them ▁almost ▁the ▁entire ▁way . ▁Only ▁about ▁ 7 0 0 ▁of ▁Sho ji ' s ▁original ▁ 3 , 0 0 0 ▁men ▁ultimately ▁returned ▁to ▁K ok umb ona . ▁ ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Santa ▁Cruz ▁Islands ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁that ▁Hy ak ut ake ' s ▁troops ▁were ▁attack ing ▁the ▁L ung a ▁per imeter , ▁Japanese ▁war ships ▁under ▁the ▁overall ▁direction ▁of ▁Is or oku ▁Yam am oto ▁moved ▁into ▁a ▁position ▁near ▁the ▁southern ▁Sol omon ▁Islands . ▁From ▁this ▁location , ▁the ▁Japanese ▁naval ▁forces ▁hoped ▁to ▁eng age ▁and ▁decis ively ▁defeat ▁any ▁Al lied ▁( prim arily ▁U . S .) ▁naval ▁forces , ▁especially ▁car rier ▁forces , ▁that ▁respond ed ▁to ▁Hy ak ut ake ' s ▁ground ▁off ensive . ▁Al lied ▁naval ▁car rier ▁forces ▁in ▁the ▁area , ▁now ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁William ▁H alse y , ▁Jr . ▁who ▁had ▁replaced ▁Gh orm ley , ▁also ▁hoped ▁to ▁meet ▁the ▁Japanese ▁naval ▁forces ▁in ▁battle . ▁ ▁The ▁two ▁oppos ing ▁car rier ▁forces ▁confront ed ▁each ▁other ▁on ▁the ▁morning ▁of ▁October ▁ 2 6 , ▁in ▁what ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Santa ▁Cruz ▁Islands . ▁After ▁an ▁exchange ▁of ▁car rier ▁air ▁attacks , ▁Al lied ▁surface ▁ships ▁retre