In October 1755 he enlisted in the military as a private soldier to serve at the Royal Presidio at Misión Nuestra Señora de Loreto in Baja California.
[5] Professor Richard L. Carrillo stated that this practice is known as "uti posidetis" where they had the right to the land that they invaded while ignoring the indigenous and their social and legal systems.
[6] Pedro Fages, a Spanish soldier also present during the Portola expedition, noted that the Indigenous Peoples they encountered served as guides to tell them which roads to take, where to find water sources, and were even given food such as fish and nuts.
The following day on November 2, some of the troops were out hunting deer, and discovered a large body of water which was San Francisco Bay, and they promptly reported back to Ortega.
[8] Prior to arriving at San Francisco Bay, Ortega while standing on what is now Berkeley Hills in October 1769, saw a small island on a body of water which he reported to General Portola of his finding.
[9] The Portola expedition along with Ortega returned to San Diego in 1770, but headed up north again to attempt to locate Monterey Bay, which proved to be difficult as they struggled with starvation and because of this ate their mules.
These presidios functioned to: Protect the friars, laborers, and enforcers of subjugation; establish small settler townships; and to fly the flag to warn any potential invaders.
[12] Through his accomplishments and the support of father Junipero Serra, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and held the position of Commandant at the Presidio of San Diego from 1773 to 1781.
Ortega turned out to be a lackluster manager of finances and as a result was moved on from the Santa Barbara Presidio by inspector Nicolas Soler and was replaced by Felipe de Goyocoechea.