He represented Dobbs County in the Provincial Congress at Halifax in November 1776.
[1][2][5] Benjamin was commissioned a Lieutenant on September 28, 1775 in the New Bern District Minutemen, where he served unil April 10, 1776 when the unit was disbanded.
[2][6][7] He joined the Dobbs County Regiment of the North Carolina militia and was promoted to Captain in March 1776.
[2] When the North Carolina General Assembly created the Wayne County, North Carolina on November 2, 1779, they subsequently created the Wayne County Regiment of the North Carolina militia and commissioned Benjamin Exum as the colonel and commander of the unit until the end of the war with one exception.
Benjamin was given the command of the 2nd North Carolina Regiment and led them at the Battle of Camden on August 16, 1780.