He was born on March 7, 1832 at Navarre, Stark County, Ohio, United States, the son of Charles and Susanna (Warner) Poe and fifth in descent from George Jacob Poe, who came from Germany before 1742 and settled in western Maryland. One of the sons of the latter, Adam Poe, great-grandfather of Orlando, followed the frontier to Ohio.
Orlando entered the United States Military Academy in 1852, was graduated sixth in his class in 1856.
After studies he was appointed brevet second lieutenant of Topographical Engineers. He served as assistant topographical engineer on the survey of the northern lakes from 1856 to 1861, attaining the grade of first lieutenant in July 1860.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Poe assisted in organizing Ohio volunteers. Later he served as topographical engineer in the operations in West Virginia and, as a member of McClellan's staff, assisted in organizing the defenses of Washington. Appointed colonel of the 2nd Michigan Volunteers, September 16, 1861, he commanded that regiment during the Peninsular campaign. At the battles of Williamsburg and Fair Oaks, he was conspicuous for skillful leadership and personal gallantry.
He commanded a brigade at Manassas and during the Maryland campaign was commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers, November 29, 1862, and commanded a brigade of the IX Army Corps during the Fredericksburg campaign, and a division of that corps during its subsequent movement to Ohio. His volunteer commission expired March 4, 1863; the senate failed to confirm his reappointment, and he reverted to his regular army rank of captain of engineers.
Years after the war he read before the Michigan Commandery of the Loyal Legion a paper on "Personal Recollections of the Occupation of East Tennessee and the Defenses of Knoxville" which was published in part in Battles and Leaders of the Civil War (1889). In December 1863 he was assigned to duty as assistant engineer of the Military Division of the Mississippi. His zeal and versatility soon won the favor of General Sherman who, in April 1864, selected him as his chief engineer.
After the war, Poe served as engineer secretary of the Lighthouse Board, 1865-70, being commissioned major, Corps of Engineers, in 1867. In 1870 he became engineer of the Upper Lakes Lighthouse District and superintendent of river and harbor work in the lake region. During this service he built the Spectacle Reef Light, Lake Huron. On January 1, 1873, he was appointed colonel and aide-de-camp to General Sherman, which status he retained until Sherman's retirement in 1884. His duties during this period were concerned with the work of the army in protecting the transcontinental railways under construction at that time, and with varied engineering problems connected with the improvement of communication between the West and the East. He published in 1884, Ordnance Notes - No. 345. Report on Transcontinental Railways, 1883. Poe was promoted lieutenant-colonel, Corps of Engineers, in 1882, and colonel in 1888.
He died in Detroit, of erysipelas contracted as the result of an injury received while inspecting his work at Sault Sainte Marie.
Orlando Metcalfe Poe was chief engineer of the Army of the Ohio, in this capacity he planned and constructed the fortifications of Knoxville, and directed the defensive organization during the siege by Longstreet's army. He was brevetted brigadier-general, United States Army, for gallant and meritorious services in the campaign terminating with the surrender of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. Besides, he was a superintending engineer of improvement of rivers and harbors on Lakes Superior and Huron and of St. Mary's Falls Canal, he had charge of the improvement of the St. Mary's and Detroit rivers; the ship channel between Chicago, Duluth, and Buffalo.
He was married at Detroit, Michigan, June 17, 1861, to Eleanor Carroll Brent, daughter of Capt. Thomas Lee Brent, United States Army; she, with one of their four children, survived him.
