In May 1711, the Palatines decided to stage a revolt against their working and living conditions. The Palatine’s living conditions were distasteful—their subsistence consisted of bread, meat and beer. The bread and beer were provided by Livingston, who charged them at New York rates which were subject to change depending on the population of New York.⁹⁰ Palatines were prohibited from making their own bread. They could not even hunt for their own meat—the meat had to be sent up the river from New York or secured by Livingston from local Dutch farmers.⁹¹ The Palatines did not receive their subsistence on a regular daily basis. They could be supplied for days or perhaps a week at a time. They did not receive the subsistence in equal amounts. Sometimes the food was inferior in quality.⁹²

The Palatines formed a secret association and no longer wanted to remain at Livingston Manor, wanting the lands promised them in the Schoharie Valley by the Queen. They claimed that they had been cheated out of their contract and that it was not the same one read to them by Jean Cast back in England. The Palatines declared that if they were not allowed their contract, three of four of their men would travel to England to speak to the Queen on their behalf.⁹³

Governor Hunter "placated" the Germans while sending for military reinforcements of seventy men from Albany to send to each village to disarm the Palatines and ensuring that there would be no more future uprisings.⁹⁴ Hunter then established a court of commissioners with Robert Livingston as president with Jean Cast, Richard Sackett, Godfrey Wulfen, Andrew Bagge and Herman Schuneman as members in addition to a commanding officer and his detachment of soldiers stationed at Livingston Manor. He also revoked all Palatine military commissions and had the Palatines under control by their overseer and the officials.⁹⁵

Hunter was having difficulty with the only competent tar instructor, Mr. Bridger. Having helped Hunter secure a tract of land for the production of naval stores, he had gotten permission to return home to New England for the winter and return in the spring. When spring came, Bridger refused to return. Hunter was furious and charged him with "unfaithfulness".⁹⁶ He found a replacement in Richard Sackett, a local farmer who claimed to have lived three years in New England among the manufacturers of tar.⁹⁷

In 1712, the Board of Trade began to lose confidence in the project due to the desertion of Bridger, who had come so highly recommended, and the hiring of Sackett, a relative unknown.⁹⁸ The Board looked into the matter of the methods of producing tar and discovered that the methods used by Sackett differed from the ones used in Russia. They forwarded the information about the Muscovy method to Hunter who had Sackett follow the method. However, Sackett’s inexperience only produced 200 barrels of tar.⁹⁹

Meanwhile, Hunter had been too busy to notice that he had done a poor job of hiring Sackett because he was setting up an expedition to send to Canada to fight the French in an attempt to claim some land. He recruited about three hundred of the most able-bodied Palatine men. While these men were in Canada, there were not enough people left in New York to work on the pine trees.¹⁰⁰

Back in England, the British government had undergone changes. The Whig Party, who had supported the Palatine settlement in New York, was overthrown by the Tories, who condemned all Whig-sponsored projects in order to stay in power. Therefore, the Tories saw the Palatines as enemies of the crown. As a result, Hunter lost all chance of financial backing for the naval stores project.¹⁰¹

On September 6, 1712, Governor Hunter informed Jean Cast that the subsistence for most of the Palatines would cease on the 12^th due to lack of funds. The Palatines were to find other means of subsistence, even if it meant looking for new employment. But before they could go anywhere in New York or New Jersey, they had to secure a ticket of leave from Hunter and list their place of destination. If anyone failed to do this, the governor would be forced to raise the "hue and cry" for them and imprison them until further orders. The purpose of this was to keep track of the Palatines’ movements and be able to bring them back once the naval stores started up again.¹⁰²

Some of the Palatines began to scatter, seeking employment for the coming winter. Within five years, some had left for New Jersey, settling at Hackensack; and some to Rhinebeck, New York. However, the ones who still remained at Livingston Manor had to accept Livingston’s terms and practically became slaves, heavily in his debt. That left a group of restless Palatines, who wanted to move to the lands of Schoharie in the Mohawk Valley that had been promised to them by Queen Anne.¹⁰³

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