By 04 : 00 , after withstanding several more assaults , some of which resulted in hand @-@ to @-@ hand fighting , and severe sniper fire from all sides , Edson 's men were joined by troops from the 2nd Battalion , 5th Marine Regiment , who helped repulse two more Japanese attacks before dawn . Throughout the night , as Kawaguchi 's men came close to overrunning the Marine defenses , Edson remained standing about 20 yd ( 18 m ) behind the Marine firing line on Hill 123 , exhorting his troops and directing their defensive efforts . Said Marine Captain Tex Smith , who was in position to observe Edson for most of the night , " I can say that if it is such a thing as one man holding a battalion together , Edson did it that night . He stood just behind the front lines – stood , when most of us hugged the ground . "