The 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, under Cresswell, crossed Alligator Creek upstream from the battle area, enveloped Ichiki's troops from the south and east, cutting off any avenue for retreat, and began to "compress" Ichiki's troops into a small area in a coconut grove on the east bank of the creek.
The 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, under Cresswell, crossed Alligator Creek upstream from the battle zone, surrounded Ichiki's troops from the south and east, cutting off any path for retreat, and then began to confine Ichiki's troops into a small area in a coconut grove on the eastern bank of the creek.