Born to a Spanish family in Naples that came to Italy with Charles III of Spain, Carrascosa was, along with his brother Rafaelle, a career soldier.

He fought against the French in the Battle of Lodi in 1796, in which he was wounded, but later joined the French-allied Parthenopean Republic.

He joined the French forces in the Peninsular War in Spain before returning to Naples, which was now a Kingdom controlled by Napoleon's brother-in-law, Joachim Murat.

Murat appointed Carrascosa military governor of Naples and made him a Baron of the Kingdom.

[2] Following a series of scandals in 1823, Carrascosa was again exiled from Naples, this time in England, and did not return until 1848, where he was once more in good standing with the kingdom, and was appointed to the House of Peers.