In the Historic Register of Virginians in the American Revolution, Samuel is listed as a Cadet in the 3rd Virginia Continental Line Regiment. He enlisted sometime in mid 1777. His term of enlistment expired on Sept. 30 1778. He then presumably returned home and eventually met his future Cherokee wife and would move to Stanly County, NC where he had acquired land, possibly as a grant for serving the Continental Army.
"Samuel retired from the regiment on September 30, 1778."
enlisted in the 3rd Regiment of the Virginia Continental line in March of 1777.
Sam fought in the following battles:
Brandywine............Sept. 11, 1777
Germantown...........Oct. 4, 1777
Whitemarsh and Valley Forge..1777 & 1778
Monmouth..............June 28, 1778
Newport................Aug. 1778
moved with his father
on the north side of the Rocky River (in 1841 this part became Stanly County, N. C.)
More About SAMUEL HINSON:
Burial: Old Hinson Cemetery #278
Milit-Beg: March 1777, Revolutionary War, 3rd Reg., , , Virginia79
Milit-End: September 30, 1778-79
Moving: April 1784, Chatham County, North Carolina 79
Residence: January 21, 1788, 200 acres, , Chatham County, North Carolina 80
Notes for M:
Cherokee
More About M:
Burial: Old Hinson Cemetery #281
Nationality: reported to be a Cherokee Indian
Marriage Notes for SAMUEL HINSON and M:
S.H.then Cherokee phonics: CeToAe (only has his initials on it and dates)
The next grave has B. - no dates.
M H D Afred - no dates.
Then in memory of Samson Hinson died Apr 17, 1768 aged 85. There are at least 8 more other graves in this #2 cemetery.

Children of SAMUEL HINSON and M are:
SAMPSON HINSON, b. 1783, Culpepper County, Virginia; d. April 17, 1868, Stanly County, North Carolina.
FREDERICK K. HINSON, b. Abt. 1787, Chatham County, North Carolina; d. 1859.
JOSEPH BENJAMIN HINSON, b. 1790, Chatham County, North Carolina; d. 1860.
JAMES HINSON, b. Abt. 1795, Chatham County, North Carolina; d. Bet. 1830 - 1878.

Samuel Hinson's parents are Charles Hinson (1736-1830) and Elizabeth McAlester (1741-1784).