Orlando Metcalfe Poe graduated 6th in his class of 49 from the United States Military Academy; his branch of service was the engineers. Born in Navarre, Ohio, he was a descendant of Germans who settled in Maryland in the mid-eighteenth century. Poe entered West Point in 1852 and graduated four years later. As a lieutenant of topographical engineers, he helped survey the northern lakes, a project completed just before the outbreak of the Civil War.
In June 1861, Poe helped raise a unit of Ohio volunteers, then served in McClellan's Department of the Ohio as a topographical engineer, accompanying "Little Mac" to western Virginia for that summer's campaign. When McClellan went east as commander of the Army of the Potomac, Poe followed him and assisted in organizing the defenses of Washington.
Poe left staff duties for field command in September, 1861, when named colonel of the 2nd Michigan Infantry. He led the regiment during McClellan's Peninsula Campaign, being conspicuous for gallantry at Williamsburg and Seven Pines. On sick leave during the Seven Days' Campaign, he later received a brigade in the III Corps. At the head of his new command, he saw considerable action at Second Bull Run, but during the Antietam Campaign, he remained idle in the capital defenses. He returned to the field in time for Fredericksburg, leading a brigade in the IX Corps that was only lightly engaged.
Though Poe had been appointed a brigadier general of volunteers prior to Fredericksburg, the Senate failed to confirm his promotion and his commission in the volunteers expired early in March of 1863. As a result, he reverted to his regular army rank of captain of engineers at which grade he went to Tennessee as chief engineer of the XXIII Corps. There he helped to construct the defenses of Knoxville and assisted in their defense during Longstreet's siege.
In spring of 1864, Poe was named chief engineer of Sherman's Military Division of the Mississippi. He rendered Sherman varied and valuable service during the Atlanta Campaign, the March to the Sea, and the Carolina Campaign. By war's end, he had attained the brevet rank of brigadier general of regulars.
In postwar years he was an aide to Sherman, served on the Lighthouse Board, and supervised engineering projects on the Great Lakes. An injury he received on the lakes led to his death in Detroit on October 2, 1895.
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