COL O'Rorke, Patrick Henry

Patrick Henry “Paddy” O’Rorke

:us34stars:
O'rorke.jpg


Born: March 25, 1837

Birthplace: County Cavan Ireland

Father: Patrick O’Rorke 1790 – 1850
(Buried: Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Rochester, New York)​

Mother: Mary Maguire 1797 – 1881
(Buried: Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Rochester, New York)​

Wife: Clarissa Wadsworth Bishop 1840 – 1893
(Buried: Saint Joseph Cemetery, West Roxbury, Massachusetts)​

Education:

June 1861: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (1st in class)​

Occupation before War:
O'rorke 1.jpg


1842: Immigrated to the United States from Ireland​
Marble Cutter in the State of New York​

Civil War Career:

1861: Brevet 2nd Lt. United States Army, Corps of Engineers​
1861 – 1863: 2nd​ Lt. United States Army, Corps of Engineers​
1861: Drilled Volunteers in Washington, D.C.​
1861: Staff Officer to Brigadier General Daniel Tyler​
1861: Staff Officer at the First Battle of Bull Run, Virginia​
1861: Assistant Engineer, Construction of Washington, D.C. Defenses​
1861: Assistant Engineer, Construction of Fort Monroe Defenses​
1861 – 1862: Served with Port Royal Expeditionary Corps​
1862: Brevetted Captain for Gallantry, Port Royal Expedition​
1862 – 1863: Colonel of 140th New York Infantry Regiment​
1862: Served in the March to Falmouth, Virginia​
1862: Brevetted Major for Gallantry at Battle of Fredericksburg​
1863: 1st Lt. United States Army, Corps of Engineers​
1863: Brevetted Lt. Colonel for Gallantry Battle of Chancellorsville​
1863: Led 526 men onto the field of Battle of Gettysburg​
1863: Killed on the 2nd day of the Battle of Gettysburg​

Died: July 2, 1863

Place of Death: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Age at time of Death: 27 years old

Burial Place: Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Rochester, New York
 
Last edited by a moderator:
O'Rouke was killed leading a charge down the South slope of Little Round Top.

The unit he was leading was under brigade command of General Weed. O'Rorke was on his way to bolster Gen. Sickies 3rd Corp when General Warren directed him to the crest of Little Round Top. He didn't wait to realign his men but charged down the south slope driving the Confecerates back.it was here where He was killed.
 
The unit he was leading was under brigade command of General Weed. O'Rorke was on his way to bolster Gen. Sickies 3rd Corp when General Warren directed him to the crest of Little Round Top. He didn't wait to realign his men but charged down the south slope driving the Confecerates back.it was here where He was killed.
And his troops were loading their rifles as they came into the fray! One of my favorite unit stories on LRT. Chamberlain got a CMH because he survived and Patrick O'Rorke faced as much of a challenging situation as his unit came up LRT "in enfilade" from the Texans and Alabamans assaulting the crest. He missed equal attention because he didn't survive.
 
Last edited:
Such a shame. Americans can learn so much about knowledge of such things. Being a native of Chesterfield County, Virginia, I grew up in the middle of battlefields. I made it a point to understand the who, what and where. Much wisdom can be drawn from the deeds of our ancestors, regardless of the politics!
 
I think the nickname, if you want to call it that, of the 140th was "The Rochester Regiment". It's too bad O'Rorke's name has been forgotten in his own town. But it is nice to know about the bridge named after him.

@Adam1stVa Just an opinion, but I don't think we can make much of that at all. Sadly, O'Rorke was killed before he could establish much of a battlefield reputation. It's kinda sad to ponder on how many other guys that were capable of great things but were killed before they reached their apparent potential.

John
 
I always like to point out that he was the top of his class at West Point - the June, 1861 - and Custer was the bottom. Make of that what you will.
I should add that Custer was a Native-Born American and O'Rorke was an immigrant. Make what you will of that also.
 
He was a very smart man. I was just pointing out that anyone you ask here in Rochester why the O'Rorke bridge is named that, nobody knows. It's sad. It's a nice bridge though.
You should tell them about the GREAT little Bar in Gettysburg named after him as well. I enjoy drinking a toast to him with a Pitcher of "Lager" (Yuengling - my favorite) every time I go there.
 
@Adam1stVa I believe the old Army had a history of anti Irish and anti Catholic sentiment, (witness the San Patricios in the Mexican war), so that seems a possibility to me too.

But, being killed as a Colonel at the head of his Regiment in July of 1863 kind of eliminates him too early on to reach those conclusions, in my opinion. Although not an immigrant, I believe Rosecrans was a Catholic and he commanded an army. I am no kind of expert however.

I agree with you about the saloon named in his honor. A great place that I visit every time I go to Gettysburg. PersonalIy, I would be very flattered if they named a really cool saloon like that after me more than 100 years after I was dead.

John
 
I think the nickname, if you want to call it that, of the 140th was "The Rochester Regiment". It's too bad O'Rorke's name has been forgotten in his own town. But it is nice to know about the bridge named after him.

@Adam1stVa Just an opinion, but I don't think we can make much of that at all. Sadly, O'Rorke was killed before he could establish much of a battlefield reputation. It's kinda sad to ponder on how many other guys that were capable of great things but were killed before they reached their apparent potential.

John

The 140th New York was also known as the Rochester Race Horses and the less interesting Monroe County Regiment.

Ryan
 
ROCHESTER HISTORY
VOL. XIX
Edited by BLAKE McKELVEY, City Historian
OCTOBER, 1957
The Irish in Rochester An Historical Retrospect
By BLAKE MCKELVEY

Although the Irish at Rochester made no further attempt to recruit an exclusive company, they joined with others in many of the units raised in the area, including the 140th, popularly known as the Rochester Regiment and led by Colonel Patrick O'Rorke. O'Rorke had come to the city as a lad of nine two decades before. He had graduated at No. 9 school and had received one of two scholarships awarded by the newly opened University of Rochester. While he was debating the propriety, as a Catholic, of attending a Baptist college, his father, a laborer, was killed in an accident and his mother, who needed his help, persuaded him to take a job. After working for two years he received an appointment to West Point where he graduated at the head of his class in June 1861. As a captain he distinguished himself in several posts and was chosen to head the new regiment recruited in his home town in September 1862. Colonel O'Rorke led it with ability at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, and at a crucial point in the battle of Gettysburg he rushed in with his men to hold Little Round Top and halt the southern onslaught at a cost of 3 7 lives including his own. Rochester's joy over that victory turned to grief on the receipt of this news, and the whole city mourned when Colonel O'Rorke's body was brought back twelve days later for a military funeral at St. Bridget's Church.


Cheers,
USS ALASKA
 
I believe Shelby Foote or some eminent historian say the only significance Gettysburg had was killing off young men who had potential like Paddy O'Rorke. I find the take extreme but I do think O'Rorke could have gone far if he lived.
 
Back
Top