At the opening of the Revolutionary War, the continental war office being at Philadelphia, Forbes's Road became more strategic than ever in its history. It was now known as the "Pennsylvania Road," and was the direct route to the military center of the West, Fort Pitt. Braddock's Road--now known as the "Virginia Road"--was the main route from Virginia and Maryland. In the dispute between Virginia and Pennsylvania for the region of which Fort Pitt was the center, the two routes thither were the avenues of the two contending factions. With the drowning of this quarrel in the momentous struggle precipitated in 1775, Forbes's Road at once became preeminently important. Cattle and goods were frequently sent over Braddock's Road as far as Brownsville and forwarded by water to Fort Pitt and the American forts on the Ohio. But far greater was the activity on Forbes's Road. Forts Bedford and Ligonier, and a score of fortified cabins at such points as Turtle Creek, Sewickly, Bullock Pens, Widow Myers, Proctors, Brush Run, Reyburn's, and Hannastown served to guard the main thoroughfare to the Ohio. Between these points scouts were continually hurrying, and over the narrow roadway passed the wagons and pack-horses laden with ammunition and stores. Hannastown and Ligonier became the important _entrepots_ between Carlisle and Fort Pitt in the Revolution. Carlisle was the important eastern depot of troops and ammunition from which both eastern and western commanders received supplies.[77] Garrisons along the Pennsylvania Road were ordered at the close of the war to report at Carlisle for their pay.[78] Hannastown, thirty miles east of Fort Pitt and three miles northeast of the present Greensburg, was the first collection of huts on the Pennsylvania Road between Bedford and Pittsburg dignified by the name of a town. At the breaking out of the Revolution it was the most important settlement in all Westmoreland County save only those about Forts Pitt and Ligonier. "These huts scattered along the narrow pack-horse track among the monster trees of the ancient forest, was that Hannastown, which occupied such a prominent place in the early history of Western Pennsylvania where was held the first court west of the Alleghany where the resolves of May 16, 1775, were passed."[79] From this rude little cluster of huts on Forbes's Road, deep in the Allegheny mountains, came one of the first and most spirited protests against British tyranny. From such sparks the flames of revolution were soon fanned. Hannastown "was burned last Saturday afternoon," wrote General Irvine to Secretary of War Lincoln, July 16, 1782; "... that place is about thirty-five miles in the rear of Fort Pitt, on the main road leading to Philadelphia, generally called the Pennsylvania [Forbes's] road. The Virginia [Braddock's] road is yet open, but how long it will continue so is uncertain, as this stroke has alarmed the whole country beyond conception."