[snip] South Dakota’s crew casualties were 39 killed and 59 wounded... [all communications and fire control were out] ...The Japanese ships continued to concentrate their fire on South Dakota and none detected Washington approaching to within 9,000 yd (8,200 m). Washington was tracking a large target (Kirishima) for some time but refrained from firing since there was a chance it could be South Dakota. Washington had not been able to track South Dakota’s movements because she was in a blind spot in Washington’s radar and Lee could not raise her on the radio to confirm her position. When the Japanese illuminated and fired on South Dakota, all doubts were removed as to which ships were friend or foe. From this close range, Washington opened fire and quickly hit Kirishima with at least nine main battery shells and at least seventeen secondary ones, causing heavy damage and setting her aflame. Kirishima was hit below the waterline and suffered a jammed rudder, causing her to circle uncontrollably to port... the Japanese ships still did not know where Washington was located, and the other surviving U.S. ships had already departed the battle area... Imperial ships finally sighted Washington and launched several torpedo attacks, but by the skilled seamanship of her captain she avoided all of them and also avoided running aground in shallow waters... Kondo ordered his remaining ships to break contact and retire from the area... Ayanami was scuttled by Uranami at 2:00, while Kirishima capsized and sank by 03:25 on 15 November. Uranami rescued survivors from Ayanami and destroyers Asagumo, Teruzuki, and Samidare rescued the remaining crew from Kirishima. In the engagement, 242 U.S. and 249 Japanese sailors died... The four Japanese transports beached themselves... Only 2,000 to 3,000 of the embarked troops embarked made it to Guadalcanal, and most of their ammunition and food were lost... The failure to deliver to Guadalcanal most of the troops and supplies in the convoy prevented the Japanese from launching another offensive to retake Henderson Field... On 12 December, the Japanese Navy proposed that Guadalcanal be abandoned. [/snip]
Rear Admiral Willis Lee, commanding the USS Washington and Task Force 64, was a distant relative of Robert E Lee.