▁the ▁soldiers ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁sever ely ▁m au led ▁by ▁General ▁K uro ki ▁Tam em oto ' s ▁ 1 st ▁Japanese ▁Army . ▁During ▁the ▁next ▁month , ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Det achment ▁march ed ▁hundreds ▁of ▁miles , ▁but ▁did ▁little ▁fighting . ▁Mot ien ▁Pass , ▁a ▁strong ▁def ensive ▁position , ▁was ▁abandoned ▁by ▁K eller ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁May ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁due ▁to ▁many ▁factors ▁not ▁under ▁his ▁control . ▁Several ▁small ▁operations ▁followed ▁over ▁the ▁next ▁two ▁months , ▁but ▁with ▁limited ▁scope . ▁ ▁On ▁ 3 1 ▁July ▁ 1 9 0 4 , ▁K eller ▁established ▁a ▁strong ▁def ensive ▁position ▁north ▁of ▁Mot ien ▁Pass ▁to ▁block ▁the ▁Japanese ▁advance ▁on ▁L ia oy ang . ▁The ▁Japanese ▁I J A ▁ 2 nd ▁Division ▁and ▁Gu ards ▁Div isions ▁attacked ▁all ▁day , ▁but ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁break ▁the ▁Russian ▁defense . ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁afternoon , ▁the ▁Japanese ▁were ▁surprised ▁to ▁see ▁the ▁Rus si ans ▁withdraw ing ▁from ▁their ▁positions . ▁Later ▁that ▁evening , ▁Chinese ▁civ ili ans ▁informed ▁the ▁Japanese ▁that ▁Russian ▁commander , ▁Lieutenant - General ▁Count ▁K eller , ▁had ▁been ▁killed ▁by ▁Japanese ▁art illery ▁fire ▁at ▁about ▁ 1 4 0 0 ▁that ▁day . ▁ ▁While ▁K eller ▁lack ed ▁experience ▁in ▁the ▁handling ▁large ▁bodies ▁of ▁troops , ▁he ▁was ▁highly ▁respect ed ▁within ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Russian ▁Army ▁as ▁an ▁ag gress ive ▁leader ; ▁a ▁quality