Born in McDonough, Henry County, Georgia, Sloan attended the common schools, Marshall College in Griffin, Georgia, and Bethany College in Bethany, West Virginia.
He moved to Savannah, Georgia, where he served as deputy collector of customs in 1867.
He was later appointed district attorney and served until 1872, when he resigned, acting at the same time as local counsel for the United States in regard to the cotton claims and also with the mixed commission on British and American claims.
He moved to New Mexico in 1881 and settled in Silver City, where he died September 22, 1883.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress