三川軍一
Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa sortied from the Shortland Islands for Guadalcanal in with the , light cruiser , and destroyers and to carry out Kondō's original plan and bombard Henderson Field with his cruisers where Abe failed with his battleships. The cruisers , , and destroyers "Kazagumo", "Makigumo", and "Yūgumo" accompanied, while "Kirishima", , , "Nagara" and six destroyers formed a screening unit.