[1] Born into an ancient family of the Genoese nobility, he entered the Genoa naval school in 1820, from which he graduated with the rank of ensign 2nd class in 1824.
He was awarded the silver medal for military valor for having contributed to the rescue of the crew of the Greek brig Alessandro, shipwrecked in a storm in the port of Genoa.
[3]: 42 [4] Commander of the pyrocorvette Tripoli during the First Italian War of Independence, he made his mark during the expedition of the small Sardinian team in the Adriatic (1848-49), in particular in the operations in the port of Piran, where he managed to free a Venetian vessel captured by the Austrians under fire from enemy batteries, and for which he was awarded the second silver medal for military valor.
[6][3]: 62 With his ships he transported the Piedmontese expeditionary force, under Alessandro Ferrero La Marmora, which set sail from Genoa on 28 April 1855 and reached Balaklava on 28 May.
During this mission in the East he achieved the reputation of an excellent maneuverer, and at the end of the operations he was awarded the Commander's Cross of the Military Order of Savoy.