He was born in 1878 in Cahul, in south-western Bessarabia (now in Moldova), the son of Elefterie and Elena Rășcanu.

[1] For two years he commanded a platoon of the 4th Artillery Regiment, after which he attended the Artillery School (1895–1897) and then Higher War School in Bucharest (1898–1900),[4] where he was colleague with the future generals Ernest Broșteanu, Ștefan Holban, and Ioan Vernescu [ro].

[2] Speaking several languages (Russian, German, English, and French), he served from 1907 to 1911 as Romania's military attaché in Germany.

Together with a fellow artilleryman, Colonel Vasile Rudeanu, he represented the Romanian High Command at the Third Chantilly Conference in November 1916.

He represented the Romanian Army at the Armistice of Focșani from December 7, 1917 between Romania, Russia, and the Central Powers.

In March his division crossed the Prut River and he replaced General Ernest Broșteanu (his classmate at the Higher War School)[2] as commander of the Romanian troops in Chișinău and central Bessarabia.

His troops paraded in support on March 27, when Sfatul Țării voted the Union of Bessarabia with Romania.

In December 1942 he was promoted to lieutenant general (Reserve),[2][9] and was awarded the Order of the Star of Romania, Grand Cross class.