Though Phillips had acted without consulting the Royal Niger Company authorities, after his death the British government dispatched an punitive expedition against the Benin monarchy, which the force defeated and deposed, leading to the kingdom's eventual absorption into colonial Nigeria.

After this meeting and his discussions with Moor, Phillips felt that he had ‘gained a very clear picture of the state of affairs’ in the Benin Rivers trading situation.

On 16 November 1896 he wrote to the Foreign Office in London stating that:“The King of Benin has continued to do everything in his power to stop the people from trading and prevent the Government from opening up the country.

I do not anticipate any serious resistance from the people of the country – there is every reason to believe that they would be glad to get rid of their King – but in order to obviate any danger I wish to take up a sufficient armed Force, consisting of 250 troops, two seven-pounder guns, 1 Maxim gun, and 1 Rocket apparatus of the Niger Coast Protectorate Force (NCPF) and a detachment of Lagos Hausas 150 strong, if his Lordship and the Secretary of State for the Colonies will sanction the use of the Colonial Forces to this extent…PS I would add that I have reason to hope that sufficient Ivory may be found in the King’s house to pay the expenses in removing the King from his Stool.”[citation needed]Phillips' letter was sent in a dispatch to London on 17 November 1896.

[5] The total number of men who embarked on this expedition has been put at over 500 by some sources, based on references made by survivor Alan Maxwell Boisragon in his book The Benin Massacre (1897).

Although they had given word of their intended visit, they were later informed that their arrival must be delayed, because no foreigner could enter the city while rituals were being conducted;[6][7] however, the travellers continued on their expedition.

[8] His true intentions were not clear to Oba Ovonramwen, who replied asking him to wait for some days whilst he and his Council of Chiefs investigated claims that ‘the whitemen are bringing war to Benin’.

[9] Phillips and at least three other white men (Vice Consul Major Peter Wade Grant Copland-Crawford, of the 7th Battalion King's Royal Rifles, and vice-consul of the Benin and Warri District; Dr Robert Hannah Elliot, medical officer of Sapele and Benin District; and Captain Arthur Irwin Maling, lieutenant of the 16th Lancers) are believed to have been killed during the initial attack near Ugbine village on 4 January.

[9][10] Robert Home concluded that three other white men (Kenneth Chichester Campbell, a District Commissioner at Sapele; Harry Simes Powis of Miller, Brother and Company; and Thomas Gordon of the African Association) may have been taken to Benin City as hostages and died during the subsequent British attack in February.

[9] Only two white officers survived: Captain Alan Boisragon, Commandant of the Constabulary of the Niger Coast Protectorate; and Ralph Locke, District Commissioner of Warri.

The fate of the African troops, carriers and other servants who were working for the party is largely unclear, with initial press reports stating that 250 were killed.

[11] The British Foreign Secretary Lord Salisbury responded to Phillips on 9 January 1897 advising him to postpone the planned expedition for another year as there were not currently enough troops to undertake the mission.