While genealogists usually want every record they can get, remember that in terms of potential information, military benefit records (pensions, bounty land applications, etc.) tend to have more details about the applicant and his family. Service records may document when your ancestor was mustered in and out, physical characteristics, etc.
Benefit records may provide significantly more detail about the applicant and his family--especially if his widow applied for a pension. She would have had to document his service and her relationship to the veteran.
If you've only focused on the service, locate the pension record. There may be more detail than you imagined.
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