ending ▁the ▁mouth ▁of ▁the ▁Mat an ik au ▁for ▁the ▁Americans ▁were ▁two ▁batt al ions ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Lieutenant ▁Colonel ▁William ▁J . ▁McK el vy : ▁the ▁ 3 d ▁Battalion , ▁ 1 st ▁Mar ines , ▁and ▁the ▁ 3 d ▁Battalion , ▁ 7 th ▁Mar ines . ▁McK el vy ' s ▁force ▁was ▁separated ▁from ▁the ▁L ung a ▁per imeter ▁by ▁a ▁gap ▁that ▁was ▁covered ▁by ▁pat rol s . ▁ ▁P rel ude ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁October , ▁a ▁company ▁of ▁Japanese ▁engine ers ▁began ▁to ▁break ▁a ▁trail , ▁called ▁the ▁" Mar uy ama ▁Road ", ▁from ▁the ▁Mat an ik au ▁towards ▁the ▁southern ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁L ung a ▁per imeter . ▁The ▁trail ▁travers ed ▁some ▁ ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁difficult ▁terrain ▁on ▁Gu adal can al , ▁including ▁numerous ▁rivers ▁and ▁streams , ▁deep , ▁mud dy ▁rav ines , ▁ste ep ▁rid ges , ▁and ▁dense ▁j ung le . ▁Between ▁ 1 6 ▁and ▁ 1 8 ▁October , ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Division ▁began ▁their ▁march ▁along ▁the ▁Mar uy ama ▁Road , ▁led ▁by ▁Nas u ' s ▁unit ▁and ▁followed ▁in ▁order ▁by ▁K aw ag uch i ▁and ▁Mar uy ama . ▁Each ▁soldier ▁had ▁been ▁ordered ▁to ▁carry ▁one ▁art illery ▁shell ▁plus ▁his ▁pack ▁and ▁rif le . ▁ ▁Early ▁on ▁the ▁morning ▁of ▁ 2 0 ▁October , ▁Mar uy