The next engagement, while not led by Kuropatkin, was impacted by him. Newly arrived to take command of the Russian Second Army was one General Oskar-Ferdinand Kazimirovich Grippenberg. Deaf and with no real command experience, he saw something that Kuropatkin didn't: a key position held by the Japanese was exposed and could be easily taken. With another Japanese army on the way to reinforce the one the Russians currently faced, Grippenberg wanted to attack immediately. Kuropatkin was strongly opposed. Grippenberg went ahead and launched a well executed attack with his Russian Second on January 25, 1905. As it was the dead of winter, the Japanese were encamped, not expecting anything to happen until spring and were taken completely by surprise by the Russian attack. Japanese command and control began to collapse and Grippenberg pressed forward. Then, on January 29th, faced with success for once, Kuropatkin ordered Grippenberg to stop his advance and retreat. Grippenberg was so enraged that he resigned his commission and went back to Moscow, complaining bitterly about the foolishness of Kuropatkin.