In what had been New England before the provinces were united, the people hated Andros.  They arrested him.  And as they had never been in favor of uniting New England and New York, they restored their old officers and disunited the two provinces, Andros was sent a prisoner to England to give an account of his doings to King William, and New York was left without a Governor.  The men who had served under King James insisted that they remain in charge of the province until King William sent new officers to replace them.  But most of them wanted to have all who had had anything to do with King James put out of office at once.  So those who wanted this change took charge of the city, and chose as their leader a citizen named Jacob Leisler.  More than twenty years before, this Jacob Leisler had come from Holland as a soldier of the West India Company.  He had left the service and had become a wealthy merchant.  He had a rude manner, and but little education.  He looked upon as an enemy, and as an enemy of King William, every man who did not think as he did.

The mass of the people now gathered around Leisler and became known as the Leislerian party.  They selected a number of citizens, calling them the Committee of Safety, and the committee gave Leisler power to see that peace was preserved.  Those who were opposed to Leisler, but who, just as strongly as he, favored King William, were called the anti-Leislerian party.  These last were headed by Francis Nicholson, who had watched over the colony for Governor Andros.  Nicholson finding that he had few followers, sailed for England.

Leisler had the fortifications repaired, and a battery of guns set up outside the fort.  This is the battery which gave to the present locality its name, though all signs of guns have disappeared.

Leisler had an adviser in Jacob Milborne, his son-in-law, who wrote his letters, and counselled him in every way.

In December came a messenger from King William, with a commission for whoever was in charge of the city, to act until further orders.  Leisler obtained possession of the commission.  He became bolder after this, and showed such a disposition to do just as he pleased, that he made enemies of a great many of his friends.  Advised by Milborne, he made laws, and imprisoned all those who refused to obey them or to recognize his authority.  Day by day those who were opposed to Leisler and Milborne grew in numbers.  Street riots occurred, and several persons were injured.  Leisler’s life was threatened, and he went about attended by a guard of soldiers.  Finally Nicholas Bayard, who had been Mayor, and who was looked upon as leader of the anti-Leislerian party, was put in prison with some others.  Bayard would doubtless have been executed had he not written an humble letter to Leisler saying that he had been in the wrong and Leisler in the right.  But he wrote to save his life, not that he really believed himself to be in the wrong.  He did save his life, but he was kept in jail.