Through the remainder of November, "Charles Ausburne" patrolled and conducted bombardments in the Bougainville area, several times escorting resupply echelons to that island. Devastating fire poured onto the Japanese airfield at Bonis, and antiaircraft actions were fought off the beachheads, as the squadron was almost constantly underway. On 24 November 1943, while the squadron refueled in Harborn Sound, orders came to intercept Japanese forces believed to be moving down to evacuate men from Buka. Immediately, the five American destroyers then composing the squadron moved north to search the Rabaul-Buka line, and at 01:41 on 25 November, a radar surface contact was made as the squadron patrolled in St. George Channel. "Charles Ausburne" with two others headed in for a torpedo attack on two Japanese destroyers as Burke's two remaining destroyers provided cover. Hits disintegrated , and broke in two. Quickly as the covering ships polished "Makinami" off, "Charles Ausburne" and the others turned to attack three destroyer transports now visible, who turned and fled with the American destroyers in pursuit. At 02:15, acting on sound estimate, Captain Burke ordered his ships to make a sharp change of course to the right to evade torpedoes. Just a minute later came the slam of torpedoes exploding in the wake of his ships. Now the "Little Beavers" opened fire on the fleeing enemy, while maneuvering to avoid return fire. As the three targets took divergent courses, "Charles Ausburne" continued her pursuit of , hitting her repeatedly. Soon blazing from stem to stern, the Japanese ship made a last desperate attempt to open the range but was quickly overhauled and sunk. Approaching daylight now made it imperative that the squadron withdraw to put distance between themselves and the Japanese airbase at Rabaul. Thus ended the classic destroyer battle of Cape St. George. Three enemy ships had been sunk and another badly damaged, while no damage was received by the American ships.