Patch, wary of what he thought to be an imminent Japanese offensive, committed only a relatively small portion of his troops to continue a slow-moving offensive against Hyakutake's forces. On 29 January, Halsey, acting on the same intelligence, sent a resupply convoy to Guadalcanal screened by a cruiser task force. Sighting the cruisers, Japanese naval torpedo bombers attacked that same evening and heavily damaged the cruiser . The next day, more torpedo aircraft attacked and sank Chicago. Halsey ordered the remainder of the task force to return to base and directed the rest of his naval forces to take station in the Coral Sea, south of Guadalcanal, to be ready to counter a Japanese offensive.Hough, pp. 367–368; Frank, pp. 568–576; Miller, pp. 319–342; Morison, The Struggle for Guadalcanal pp. 342–350. After unloading their cargo, the U.S. transports evacuated the 2nd Marine Regiment from the island, which had been on Guadalcanal since the beginning of the campaign.
patch wary of what he thought to be an imminent japanese offensive committed only a relatively small portion of his troops to continue a slow-moving offensive against hyakutake's forces on 29 january halsey acting on the same intelligence sent a resupply convoy to guadalcanal screened by a cruiser task force sighting the cruisers japanese naval torpedo bombers attacked that same evening and heavily damaged the cruiser  the next day more torpedo aircraft attacked and sank chicago halsey ordered the remainder of the task force to return to base and directed the rest of his naval forces to take station in the coral sea south of guadalcanal to be ready to counter a japanese offensivehough pp 367–368; frank pp 568–576; miller pp 319–342; morison the struggle for guadalcanal pp 342–350 after unloading their cargo the us transports evacuated the 2nd marine regiment from the island which had been on guadalcanal since the beginning of the campaign