On July 23 the main force left its line of positions, the right wing marched east as far as Liu-chia-ku--east of which the Takushan army had driven the Russians north--then turned north. The left wing marched north to the east of the railway line and was opposed by various bodies of Russian troops composed of horse artillery, cavalry and infantry. At night the Japanese forces deployed and prepared for a general attack, which was commenced before daybreak. Pushing on rapidly the right wing occupied positions south of Taipingling, the main body was on the height of Shan-hsi-tu opposite the Russian centre at Ching-shing-shan. The left wing first occupied Wutai heights, just east of the line, until the right wing took the offensive, late in the forenoon, when it moved west, got its artillery into position near Taipin Hill and sent its cavalry west of the railway, and itself rested on Chuchiatun on the line. That day, July 24, there was a heavy artillery duel, chiefly between the Japanese west wing on Taipin, and the Russian guns on Wangmatai. The Japanese main army was slow in getting its guns into position, and the infantry advance was checked. The Russian guns commanded every point of vantage the attacking army strived to obtain; the Japanese guns were exposed to the Russian fire, and although their position was changed repeatedly, and with the utmost difficulty always, owing to the rough character of the ground in the ravines, they failed both to secure a position of comparative safety and to silence the Russian guns. The Japanese right wing, exposed though it was to the Russian fire, yet made an attempt to advance on Taipingling. It rushed into the Russian position, but withdrew before an overwhelming counter attack. The Russian supposed advance on July 23 was really a concentration for defence against the advance of the second Japanese army, which at sundown on July 24 occupied practically the same positions as it had done the previous evening, with the exception of the left wing which had extended west of the railway. Having that Sunday delivered a counter attack which had forced the Japanese infantry to retire behind the hills to the south, the Russians believed they had gained a victory, or, at least had held their ground successfully. For two or three hours after sunset the Russians fired occasionally for purposes of reconnaissance, to which the Japanese artillery made no answer.