Ligonier Valley, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Ligonier Valley is a beautiful valley located in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It's a place with a long and interesting history, especially during the early days of America.

Ligonier Valley's Past

Early Settlements

Around 1727, the first Native American village was built in Ligonier Valley. This village was near where Mill Creek and Loyalhanna Creek join together. The village was still quite new when the first traders arrived in 1732.

The French and Indian War

For the next 25 years, a big fight for control of mid-America grew between the English and the French. This conflict is now known as the French and Indian War. In 1758, the English started a major military plan.

Gen. John Forbes led this important journey. His troops marched through the forests and mountains of Pennsylvania. They built a series of forts to prepare for their main attack. This attack was aimed at Fort Duquesne, located where the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers meet. One of these new forts was named for the leader of the British Army, Field Marshal Lord John Ligonier.

The Battle of Fort Ligonier

The French and their Native American allies were worried about the British getting closer. They decided that attacking first was their best plan. So, on October 12, 1758, they attacked Fort Ligonier. They came from the southwest.

About 1,200 French soldiers and a few hundred Native Americans were part of this attack. Many Native Americans had already gone home to get ready for winter. The French and Native Americans attacking Fort Ligonier were led by DeVitri. They started firing at 11:00 AM. The battle lasted until 3:00 PM.

After a strong fight, the French and Native Americans were defeated. They suffered heavy losses and ran back to Duquesne.

After the Victory

The British troops, led by Gen. Forbes and Col. Washington, kept moving forward after their win at Ligonier. When they reached Duquesne, they found the fort on fire. The victory at Ligonier was a major turning point for the British.

They built their own fort there. They named it after Prime Minister William Pitt. This is how the city of Pittsburgh began.

Fort Ligonier was used for a few more years. Gen. Arthur St. Clair of the British Army agreed to look after the fort. He lived only a short distance away.

During the American Revolution, Native American attacks became very fierce. This led to a second fort being built in 1777. It was sometimes called Fort Preservation. This new fort was a bit east of the first one. It gave settlers a safe place to go. By the end of the Revolution, this second fort was no longer needed. It slowly fell apart and disappeared completely a few years later.