He was born at the family home of Sloat House in Sloatsburg, New York, of Dutch ancestry, and was orphaned at an early age, his father, Captain John Sloat, having been mistakenly shot and killed by one of his own sentries two months before he was born, and his mother dying a few years later.
Appointed midshipman in the Navy in 1800, he was sailing master of the frigate United States under Commodore Stephen Decatur during the War of 1812, and was promoted to lieutenant for conspicuous gallantry in the capture of the frigate HMS Macedonian. Sloat then commanded the schooner Grampus during which he fought the Action of 2 March 1825 against the pirate ship of Roberto Cofresí. He later served on the ships Franklin and Washington, and from 1828 commanded the sloop Saint Louis with the rank of master commandant, to which he had been promoted in 1826.
He was promoted to captain in 1837, and from 1840 to 1844 was in charge of the Portsmouth Navy Yard.
California
In 1844 Sloat was appointed to command the Pacific Squadron, and in 1845, as tensions with Mexico grew, he was instructed to land in Alta California and claim it for the United States if war broke out. Receiving a report of fighting on the Texas border while off Mazatlán, he raced north (the British were reportedly interested in California too), engaged in a skirmish called the Battle of Monterey, raised the flag over the Customs House at Monterey on July 7, 1846, and issued a proclamation announcing that California was now part of the United States.
He was a Military Governor of California for only seven days, before handing over the office to Robert F. Stockton. Later, his poor health forced Sloat to take commands ashore, where he commanded the Norfolk Navy Yard 1847-1851, directed the construction of the Stevens Battery in 1855, and helped plan the Mare Island Navy Yard.
He retired with the rank of Captain in December 1861, and was promoted to Rear Admiral on the retired list in July 1866.
Sloat was a Freemason, and belonged to Saint Nicholas lodge Number. 321 in New York City. He died in New Brighton, New York, and was buried in Brooklyn"s Green-Wood Cemetery.
Two destroyers have been named United States Ship Sloat in his honor as well as a World World War II Liberty ship, the Steamship John Drake Sloat.
A major street, Sloat Boulevard, and Commodore Sloat elementary school, both in San Francisco, are named after him. Local streets in Monterey, California, Sacramento, California, and the Carthay Circle neighborhood of Los Angeles also bear his name.
There is a large monument erected in his honor on the Presidio of Monterey United States. Army post. An elementary school in Sacramento is also named for him.
Midshipman - 12 February 1800
Sailing Master - 10 January 1812
Lieutenant - 24 July 1813
Master Commandant - 21 March 1826
Captain - 9 February 1837
Reserved List - 27 September 1855
Retired List - 21 December 1861
Commodore on Retired List - 16 July 1862
Rear Admiral, Retired List - 25 July 1866.
