▁Gu adal can al ▁occurred ▁throughout ▁the ▁campaign ▁and ▁came ▁to ▁be ▁called ▁the ▁" T ok yo ▁Express " ▁by ▁Al lied ▁forces ▁and ▁" R at ▁Transport ation " ▁by ▁the ▁Japanese . ▁ ▁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 , ▁with ▁the ▁ 6 , 0 0 0 ▁soldiers ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Major ▁General ▁Ki y ot ake ▁K aw ag uch i ▁being ▁defeated ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Ed son ' s ▁R idge . ▁After ▁their ▁defeat ▁at ▁Ed son ' s ▁R idge , ▁K aw ag uch i ▁and ▁the ▁surv iving ▁Japanese ▁troops ▁re group ed ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁Mat an ik au ▁River ▁on ▁Gu adal can al . ▁ ▁Hy ak ut ake ▁immediately ▁began ▁to ▁prepare ▁for ▁another ▁attempt ▁to ▁re capt ure ▁Hend erson ▁Field . ▁The ▁Japanese ▁n avy ▁promised ▁to ▁support ▁Hy ak ut ake ' s ▁next ▁off ensive ▁by ▁deliver ing ▁the ▁necessary ▁troops , ▁equipment , ▁and ▁supplies ▁to ▁the ▁island , ▁and ▁by ▁ste pping - up ▁air ▁attacks ▁on ▁Hend erson ▁Field ▁and ▁sending ▁war ships ▁to ▁bomb ard ▁the ▁air field . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁Japanese ▁re group ed , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁forces ▁concentr ated ▁on