Karatasos had disembarked in Sithonia in April 1854, but he confronted the French forces which continuously fired on him, as they were afraid of his possible entrance into Thessaloniki. After a brief capture of Karyes in Mount Athos, whose monks hadn't supported the rebellion, Karatasos had to return to Greece on a French naval ship. The consuls of the United Kingdom and France took over the protection of the non-combatants and of the fighters who had supported Karatasos from a possible Ottoman invasion of Mount Athos.