page_title: James Robert Phillips
section_title: The Benin Massacre
hierarchical_section_title: James Robert Phillips / The Benin Massacre
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: Statue de James Robert Phillips (Q28793883)
context_page_description: James Robert Phillips became the Acting Queen's Advocate of the Gold Coast. In 1897 he set out to depose the King of Benin planning to cover the cost by stealing the King's goods. His reason for doing this are unclear. He and his party were massacred as they approached Benin City. Only two officiers survived. Even though Phillips had acted without authority, a punitive force was assembled as the Benin Expedition of 1897. This ended the Benin monarchy and riches including the Benin Bronzes were taken back to Britain.
context_section_description: On 17 December 1896, Phillips set off from Old Calabar in his Yacht Ivy with nine other white men on his ill-fated expedition to Benin. At the same time, he sent a message through Chief Dogho (Itsekiri Chief) to the King of Benin, Oba Ovonramwen the 36th king, that he was on his way coming to visit. However, his true intentions became unclear as a result of mixed up message and Oba Ovonramwen sent back a reply to ask him to wait for some days whilst he and his Council of Chiefs conducted an investigation into the claims that, ‘The whitemen are bringing war to Benin,’. He also informed Phillips that he was currently engaged in 'worshipping his father's head' in the Ague Festival. Phillips failed to heed this advice and request from the king and on 4 January 1897, despite pleas from his Itsekiri advisors, pressed ahead with his plan.
  Phillips and his men were killed by the Benin Strike Force led by Benin Army General Ologbosere en route to Benin. They had been sent to defend their borders against the invading force.
  The British Foreign Office Lord Salisbury did send a response 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. They stated that 400 men would be required for this and as there were currently other expeditions in progress elsewhere in the protectorate, this number could not be raised. However Phillips was already dead. Phillips was about 33 years of age when he died on 4 January 1897 on his way to Benin City.
  The white men killed on the mission were: Philips, Acting Consul General of the Niger Coast Protectorate, Major Copland-Crawford, a major in the 7th Battalion King's Royal Rifles, and Vice-Consul of the Benin and Warri District, Captain Maling lieutenant of the 16th Lancers, Mr. Kenneth Campbell, a District Commissioner at Sapele; Dr. Elliot, the medical officer of Sapele and Benin District; Messrs. Powis and Gordon. Captain Boisragon Commandant of the Constabulary of the Niger Coast Protectorate and Mr. Ralph Locke, District Commissioner of Warri, escaped.
  The British Admiralty responded swiftly to the Benin Massacre by authorizing the Benin Punitive Expedition of February 1897. The British Government as a result of these events and ongoing complaints against the Royal Niger Company from the Brass people of the Benin Rivers, the killings of the Hausa princes during the Bida Battle and ongoing territorial rivalry with the French, revoked the Royal Niger Company charter granted in 1886. Following the revoking of its charter, on 31 December 1899, the Royal Niger Company sold its holdings to the British government for £865,000 [£77,712,386 today]. On 1 January 1900, all its territories and assets passed to the British crown. The surrendered territories together with the Niger Coast Protectorate were formed into Northern and Southern Protectorates of the Niger River. As such, under the British Government control they became British Protectorates and part of the British Empire. In 1914, the two protectorates were formally united and amalgamated as the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria by Governor Lord Frederick Lugard.
  Phillips is remembered for his part in the events that led to the Benin Expedition of 1897 and as part of the British Empire history.
caption: Captain Phillips statue. Museum of Black Civilisations, Dakar.
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