Magheru began his activities as an Oltenian hajduk in the area around Băilești, and led his group into volunteering for the Imperial Russian side in the Russo-Turkish War — playing a part in the almost impossible victory of the small Russian vanguard under General Geismar over the dominating Ottoman forces at the battle of Băilești 26-27 September 1828.

He is noted for organizing the revolutionary and Pandur army camp in Râureni—on the grounds belonging to the Schitu Troianu Monastery, at the time near Râmnicu Vâlcea (and now part of the city).

This created the paradox of Russia enforcing conservative policies in Wallachia and Moldavia, while most revolutionaries were taking refuge in Istanbul.

He approached the Hungarian leader Lajos Kossuth in January 1849, with a project that would have replaced the tight centralization with a confederation between Hungary and a more Romanian than not Transylvania.

Their political ideal was fulfilled on 24 January 1859, when the already Prince of Moldavia Alexandru Ioan Cuza was elected in Bucharest.