To protect the transports carrying the 164th to Guadalcanal, Ghormley ordered Task Force 64 (TF 64), consisting of four cruisers (, , , and ) and five destroyers (, , , , and ) under Scott, to intercept and combat any Japanese ships approaching Guadalcanal and threatening the convoy. Scott conducted one night battle practice with his ships on 8 October, then took station south of Guadalcanal near Rennell Island on 9 October, to await word of any Japanese naval movement toward the southern Solomons.Cook, Cape Esperance, pp. 16 and 19–20; Frank, Guadalcanal, pp. 295–297; Morison, Struggle for Guadalcanal, pp. 148–149; and Dull, Imperial Japanese Navy, p. 225. Since not all the TF 64 warships were available, Scott's force was designated as Task Group 64.2. The U.S. destroyers were from Squadron 12, commanded by Captain Robert G. Tobin in Farenholt.
