Prior to the outbreak of the First Opium War, the city of Ningbo had roughly 250,000 inhabitants and was frequented by warships of the British Royal Navy.

The mistreatment of the captured sailors by the Chinese influenced the attitudes of the occupying British forces in Ningbo as the event became widely known.

On 13 October, British troops entered Ningbo under the tune of "Saint Patrick’s Day in the morning" (sung by the Royal Irish band) and occupied the city unopposed.

[6] On the other hand, Anglo-Irish soldier and colonial administrator Sir Henry Pottinger, who arrived on 13 January 1842, felt "considerable satisfaction" in looting the city.

[7] After Pottinger arrived to Ningbo, he "ordered the confiscation of all the Chinese ships and provisions and other property, including the main Pagoda's bell, which was sent to India as another symbolic prize.

Gutzlaff strictly enforced the laws of the new administration and hired a small group of spies to monitor the city and the activities of the residents, allowing British officials to impose higher taxes on the upper class citizens in Ningbo.

[6] The British also opened up the public granary and began to sell the grain contained within to local citizens at cheap prices.

[8] Following the loss of Ningbo, the Emperor sent his cousin, Prince Yijing, to Suzhou (Soochow) to recruit men to recapture the city and "drive the English into the sea.

[9] Fearful of possible infiltration by British spies, security was heightened in the Chinese camp, with the stated aim of preventing those disloyal to the Emperor from coming near Prince Yijing.

[18] During the final phases of the British occupation, kidnappings and murders in Ningbo experienced a massive increase as law and order continued to break down, with portions of the city being set aflame.