 "Californios" who lived in California had finally had enough of the Mexican government and seized control of the territory of Alta California in 1846.At the time gold was discovered in 1848, California had about 9,000 former Californios and about 3,000 United States citizens including members of Colonel Jonathan D. Stevenson's 1st Regiment of New York Volunteers and discharged members of the California Battalion and Mormon Battalions.The Pacific Squadron secured San Francisco Bay and the coastal cities of California.