As a result of "garbled" messages from Griffith because of a Japanese air raid on Henderson Field that disrupted the Marine communication's net, Vandegrift and Edson believed that the Raiders had succeeded in crossing the Matanikau.
På grund af forvanskede meddelelser fra Griffith på grund af et japansk luftangreb mod Henderson Field, der ødelagde marineinfanteriets kommunikationsnet, troede Vandegrift og Edson, at det var lykkedes for raiderne at krydse Matanikau.