The Civil War in the Lost River Valley 
The Lost River valley, although not a major theater of the Civil War, was the scene of many troop movements, skirmishes, and supply raids between 1861 and 1865. Quotes gleaned from The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies as well as other first hand accounts (e.g., Blue 1994 [1898 -1901]), indicate the turmoil to both life and property characteristic of this period.
"Stragglers from General Imboden report that he had a fight yesterday morning with 500 Yankee cavalry near Baker's, on Lost River; defeated them and pursued them toward Moorefield" - G. H. Smith to Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge, May 11, 1864.
"...The rebel force that has been engaged in the South Branch Valley and valley of the Lost River collecting cattle, sheep, and horses for Early's army. Out of the last-named valley they have been hauling flour and grain" -B.F. Kelley to Capt. R.P. Kennedy, November 4, 1864.
"...I propose to send 150 men by Romney and the Hanging Rock to strike the Wardensville road ten miles east of Moorefield at the same time, and that 100 men go into Moorefield by the road we came out at the same time. The parties on these other roads will then intercept any rebels who may be frightened away from MoorefieldAfter concentrating at Moorefield, General Crook desires that everything fit for army use be either brought off or destroyed while returning. Take all the time needed to give a thorough raking to the entire country, and leave nothing but what is absolutely needed for family use. Give certificates for everything--yen that destroyed. You can give such for forage destroyed as "by virtue of instructions from department headquarters" - Geo. R. Latham to Lieut. Col. R.E. Fleming, November 24, 1864.
The Effects of the Civil War on the Reed Farmstead
Just prior to the Civil War, Andrew Garrett had borrowed money from Thomas Reed, the son of William and Hannah Reed. Andrew died in 1857, before he could pay off his debt. Garrett stipulated in his will that his wife Fannie was to rent out portions of the farm lands in order to pay off this debt. Unfortunately, with the events of the Civil War and their local impact throughout the Lost River valley, the lands were never rented after 1862.
" ...Said Executor states that during the war he could not obtain an offer for the rent of said land although he repeatedly endeavored both publicly & privately to rent said premises as a portion of said land was held by the widow the remainder was not desirable to renters & during the war the rented value decreased yearly in consequence of the going down of the fences & growing up of brush on said premises and that the whole property was not more than sufficient to support the widow" - Hardy County Courthouse, Court Records, September 30, 1881
The farm appears to have never prospered during or following the war; indeed the debts that were compounded by the inability to rent out the land eventually came to fruition in 1883 when the debt owed Thomas Reed by the Garretts (Fannie had died in 1882) was finally settled by the sale of the property.
The farmstead was certainly visited by both Confederate and Union soldiers during the course of the war, as can be attested to by the variety of Civil War-related items recovered during the Phase III data recovery .
Exactly how these artifacts were deposited on the site will probably never be known. The artifacts may be indicative of minor skirmishing, perhaps they were deposited during brief encampments, or even during foraging raids. We also know that Simon Garrett, one of the sons of Fannie and Andrew, served in the Conferederate army.