Because the neutral Republic of Genoa had refused to loan the French money, the representative-on-mission Antoine Christophe Saliceti asked the French army commander Barthélemy Louis Joseph Scherer for 6,000 men to advance in order to intimidate the civic authorities. On 27 March, Pittoni reported to Beaulieu about the movement of these troops to Voltri. Bonaparte, who had just taken command, ordered the movement halted the next day. At first he wanted to withdraw the exposed unit, but later decided to hold the position at Voltri. To counter this threat, on 31 March, Beaulieu ordered Pittoni in invade the Republic of Genoa and cross the Bocchetta Pass. Pittoni occupied Novi Ligure with 2,800 men and started his men on the road up the pass. The Lattermann Regiment was left to guard Novi. Beaulieu apparently was on hand because he noted that the weather was uncomfortably cold and that Pittoni was not well, though he did his soldierly duty. The army commander sent one 12-pound cannon, one 6-pound cannon, and two 7-pound howitzers to join Pittoni's force. By 8 April, Pittoni was in position at the Bocchetta Pass but informed Beaulieu that he was so isolated that it would take him six hours of marching over bad roads to link with Vukassovich near Masone.