On our 1996 trip we were able to visit Clark Mountain. Here we could see the beautiful countryside that lies east of Culpeper. During the Civil War, Confederates used this mountain as a lookout. I found the description below which was written by Major-General F.M. Law, C.S.A.

"ON the 2d of May, 1864, a group of officers stood at the Confederate signal station on Clark's Mountain, Virginia, south of the Rapidan, and examined closely through their field-glasses the position of the Federal army then lying north of the river in Culpeper county. The central figure of the group was the commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, who had requested his corps and division commanders to meet him there. Though some demonstrations had been made in the direction of the upper fords, General Lee expressed the opinion that the Federal army would cross the river at Germanna or Ely's. Thirty-six hours later General Meade's army, General Grant, now commander-in-chief, being with it, commenced its march to the crossings indicated by General Lee. , The Army of the Potomac, which had now commenced its march toward Richmond, was more powerful in numbers than at any previous period of the war. It consisted of three corps : the Second (Hancock's), the Fifth (Warren's), and the Sixth (Sedgwick's) ; but the Ninth (Burnside's) acted with Meade throughout the campaign. Meade's army was thoroughly equipped, and provided with every appliance of modern warfare. On the other hand, the Army of Northern Virginia had gained little in numbers during the winter just passed, and had never been so scantily supplied with food and clothing."

FROM THE WILDERNESS TO COLD HARBOR.
BY F. M. LAW, MAJOR-GENERAL, C. S. A.