▁War , ▁the ▁P ío ▁P ico ▁government ▁sold ▁sec ular ized ▁mission ▁lands . ▁The ▁Mission ▁San ▁Fernando ▁was ▁sold ▁to ▁E ul og io ▁de ▁Cel is , ▁who ▁established ▁Ran cho ▁Ex - M ission ▁San ▁Fernando . ▁Cel is ▁returned ▁to ▁Spain , ▁but ▁his ▁descend ants ▁stayed ▁in ▁California . ▁Under ▁the ▁terms ▁of ▁sec ular ization , ▁the ▁sale ▁ex cluded ▁the ▁Mission ▁comp ound ▁and ▁its ▁immediate ▁surr ound ings , ▁which ▁were ▁reserved ▁for ▁Don ▁And rés . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁Mexican – American ▁War ▁During ▁the ▁Mexican – American ▁War , ▁And rés ▁P ico ▁commanded ▁the ▁native ▁forces , ▁the ▁California ▁Lanc ers , ▁in ▁Al ta ▁California . ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 6 ▁P ico ▁led ▁an ▁attack ▁on ▁forces ▁commanded ▁by ▁U . S . ▁General ▁Stephen ▁W att s ▁K ear ny ▁at ▁the ▁fier ce ▁but ▁incon clus ive ▁Battle ▁of ▁San ▁Pas qual . ▁He ▁is ▁sometimes ▁confused ▁with ▁his ▁older ▁brother ▁P ío ▁P ico , ▁who ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 7 , ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁the ▁last ▁Governor ▁of ▁Al ta ▁California . ▁▁ ▁On ▁January ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 8 4 7 , ▁as ▁the ▁acting ▁governor ▁of ▁Mexican ▁Al ta ▁California ▁( while ▁his ▁brother ▁was ▁in ▁Mexico ▁raising ▁additional ▁money ▁for ▁the ▁fight ▁against ▁the ▁United ▁States ), ▁And rés ▁signed ▁the ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁C ahu eng a ▁with ▁the ▁American ▁commander ▁Lieutenant - Col onel ▁John ▁C