Facts:   - profession: soldier    - order: mex & nbsp ;    - successor: nicolas gutierrez    - death date: february 1860    - predecessor: josé figueroa    - office: governor of alta california      - term end: 1836    - term start: 1835    - appointed: josé figueroa    - name: josé castro    - birth date: 1808    - image: jose castro.jpg    - birth place: monterey , california    - religion: roman catholic   Based on these bullet points, write a short biography describing the life of josé castro .
josé antonio castro -lrb- 1808 -- february 1860 -rrb- was acting governor of alta california in 1835-1836 , and commandante general of the mexican army in alta california at the time of the 1846 bear flag revolt and the mexican-american war of 1846-1848 .