After delivering more forces during the next month the Japanese mounted a major ground offensive on Guadalcanal , led by Hyakutake , in late October 1942 at the Battle for Henderson Field , but it resulted in an even more decisive defeat for the Japanese . Vandegrift later stated that Kawaguchi 's assault on the ridge in September was the only time during the entire campaign he had doubts about the outcome and that had it succeeded , " we would have been in a pretty bad condition . " Historian Richard B. Frank adds , " The Japanese never came closer to victory on the island itself than in September 1942 , on a ridge thrusting up from the jungle just south of the critical airfield , best known ever after as Bloody Ridge . "