Abraham Lincoln and His Team of Rivals

Zebina K. Pangborn graduated the University of Vermont in 1850, and taught school for four years, including at the academy at Johnson, Vermont, where future Admiral George Dewey was one of his pupils. In 1854 Pangborn became the editor of his first newspaper, The Teacher's Voice and Vermont Weekly Tribune. He was afterwords editor of the Boston Daily Atlas and Bee. In 1856, he was a delegate to the Republican Convention that nominated John C. Fremont for President, and in the 1860 election was a Lincoln supporter. When the Civil War broke out, Pangborn sought a military appointment, and received the rank of a Major of Volunteers in the U.S. Army. He served in the Department of the South during the Hilton Head, SC expedition in 1861 and left the Army in 1862.

He had a son Henry who sought similar service in 1861, and the father, being well known to many Republicans in the Lincoln administration, apparently lent the son a hand in securing an appointment as paymaster in the Navy. A paymaster, or purser, was in charge of a ship's accounts, supplies and payroll.

The first step was to contact Secretary of War Simon Cameron, who approved the appointment and wrote a letter to President Lincoln requesting it. Autograph letter signed by Cameron, 4 pages, War Dept., Washington, May 17, 1861, to Lincoln. "Mr. Pangborn is well known to me, and it would give me pleasure to see him succeed in his application, and trust he will receive your endorsement to the Secretary of the Navy. I am, respectfully, Simon Cameron”. 

A number of other Lincoln Cabinet members added their endorsements to the request. Secretary of the Interior Caleb Smith wrote, “I concur in the recommendation of Mr. Pangborn." Secretary of State William H. Seward said, “I concur." Seward's son, F.W. Seward, Asst. Secretary of State, wrote “I heartily concur in the foregoing recommendation.” Postmaster General Montgomery Blair, for whom the newly inaugurated president had great respect, added “I concur." Finally, President Lincoln himself agreed, saying “Let it be done when it can consistently. A. Lincoln, May 20, 1861.” By consistently, he meant consistent with the needs of the Navy. The original letter in Cameron's hand is somewhat light; the endorsements are fine.

On July 13, 1861, "The Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States" records that the President's nomination of young Pangborn arrived in the Senate and was sent on to the Committee on Naval Affairs. "The Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy" then shows Pangborn as a Naval Paymaster, assigned to the Steamer Rhode Island. He later held that post on the Sloop Constitution and the USS Constellation, which was engaged in thwarting Confederate cruisers and commerce raiders in European waters and then in capturing Rebel privateers, cruisers and blockade runners in waters closer to home. He died just after the war, and his tombstone reads "Paymaster, U.S.N., died at Pensacola, Fla; July 31, 1866 AE 27 yrs."