If you get to the third part, the strategy has failed.
There were two reasons for the orderly columns:
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Accuracy of the guns was shit. Lining up and all shooting at once was more likely to score actual hits and have some significant effect. Individual shots would rarely hit anything, making them seem less effective. (Also, this is black powder, remember. Shooting releases big billowing clouds of white smoke. In order for troops to aim properly, they need to synchronize their fire. Otherwise, only the first few who shoot will actually be able to see what they’re shooting at – the smoke would then obscure the enemy and make it impossible for the rest to aim.)
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Keeping perfect order while sending and receiving gunfire was meant to frighten and demoralize enemy troops, leading to the enemy retreating and routing. The enemy is meant to think, “Holy shit – we just gave them our best volley, and they didn’t even blink! We’re screwed! We gotta get out of here before we’re all dead!”
Against less organized and less well-trained armies, it would work well. It only becomes a problem when they come up against another army that’s equally committed to keeping up appearances.
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