Mexican War of Independence the night of the May 18, 1822, a mass demonstration led by the Regiment of Celaya, which Iturbide had commanded during the war, marched through the streets and demanded their commander-in-chief to accept the throne. The following day, the Congress declared Iturbide Emperor of Mexico. On October 31, 1822 Iturbide dissolved Congress and replaced it with a sympathetic junta. Despite the creation of the Mexican nation, the Spanish still managed to hold onto a port in Veracruz that Mexico did not get control of until 23 November 1825. On 28 December 1836, Spain recognized the independence of Mexico under the
Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana County given under Spanish Rule which were rare during this time. This was only two and a half months before the start of the war for Mexican Independence (1810-1821). The surrounding land grants or ranchos were granted by the Mexican government after Mexican independence in 1821. José Antonio Yorba built an elaborate adobe hacienda, El Refugio (the Refuge), located near present-day First and Sullivan Streets in western Santa Ana. With the Mexican Cession of California to the United States following the Mexican-American War, the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo provided that the land grants would be honored. As required by