However, this strategy was not in favor with the Russian Viceroy Yevgeni Ivanovich Alekseyev, who was pushing for a more aggressive stance and quick victory over Japan.

[8] Due to a disparity in military intelligence, Kuropatkin was convinced that he was outnumbered, whereas Ōyama, with the assistance of the local Chinese population,[8] had precise knowledge of the Russian strength and deployment.

However, Ōyama was concerned with his numerical inferiority, and waited to attack in hopes that a quick victory at Port Arthur would enable him to add the strength of IJA 3rd Army to his forces before yet more Russian reinforcements arrived to the north.

Fierce night fighting occurred around the slopes of a mountain called "Peikou", which fell to the Japanese by the evening of 26 August.

Kuropatin ordered a retreat under the cover of heavy rain and fog, to the outermost defensive line surrounding Liaoyang, which he had reinforced with his reserves.

This enabled the Japanese forces to advance to a position where they were within range to shell the city, including its crucial railway station.

Meanwhile, the 1st Siberian Army Corps under General Georgii Stackelberg arrived on the afternoon of 2 September, exhausted by a long march through the mud and torrential rains.

Meanwhile, on 3 September Kuropatkin received a report from General Zarubayev on the inner defensive line that he was running short on ammunition.

[7] Despite Ōyama’s goal of encircling and annihilating the Russian forces in Manchuria at Liaoyang, Kuropatkin was able to retreat in good order as the exhausted Japanese were unable to pursue.

[7] Celebrations in Tokyo were muted by the heavy casualty reports, and the knowledge that their victory was not complete as the decisive battle of the war would need to be fought elsewhere.