In 1758, Secretary of State William Pitt and the military Commander-in-Chief Sir John Ligonier ordered Gen. John Forbes to lead a campaign against the French at Fort Duquesne. A series of fortifications were built along the "Forbes Road" constructed across Southern PA and at Loyalhanna Creek, a camp was to be erected to serve as a final staging area for the assault on Ft. Duquesne. Colonel James Burd began construction of the "post at Loyalhanna" on September. 3, 1758.

Encouraged by recent victories, the French with 440 marine infantry and militia along with 150 Indians engaged the "post at Loyalhanna" on Oct. 12, 1758. Two days of fighting resulted in a stalemate with the French returning to Duquesne believing any attack on their fort would be postponed until spring - the principal reason for attacking Ligonier. However, by Nov. 25, 1758, Gen. John Forbes occupied Ft. Duquesne and renamed the site "Pittsburgh" in honor of his Secretary of State and designated the post at Loyalhanna "Fort Ligonier" after his Commander-in-Chief.