Afterwards, the 1st Marine Division headed by the 7th Marines were directed to march into North Korea to Hamhung, their objective, the Chosin Reservoir, a man-made lake. The 7th Marines were to proceed north of Hamhung to relieve a South Korean unit which had fought with Chinese Communist forces (Chinese troops entered North Korea on October 19 and launched an offensive on October 25). On November 2, the 7th Marines reached the South Koreans with little opposition (November 1 was the first confrontation between the Chinese and the U.S. military). However, Chinese presence increased after this. On November 3, as A Company was in a defensive position near Hamhung, 1st Lieutenant Frank Mitchell's platoon in A Company which Poynter was a member of, was hit hard suddenly by the Chinese and almost overrun. Mitchell rallied his men including Poynter to repel the attack and Mitchell, although painfully wounded in the ensuing action, refused to be evacuated until the danger of a serious break-through was averted.