In order to present as many muskets as possible, the line formation was used.
The line formation was also used by certain types of cavalry.
Caesar led his forces forward in the standard three line formation.
Exceptions are free hands of the first and last persons in the line formation.
From 1943 the division was placed on the lower establishment, meaning that it had fewer men and less equipment than first line formations.
This gave the Union army much needed time to be able to stabilize their line formations and gather reinforcements.
The line formation was the most favored amongst the British infantry.
The line formation offered the maximum firepower to any enemy, about 1000 to 1500 bullets per minute.
While the line formation may have seemed to be the best against infantry, they were not protected from the rear.
Without a word of command from him they snapped into a double line formation.