There is a discussion going on about ACW tactics that has become largely about rifle musket range and accuracy TMP link
I wanted to go from there to mention a pet theory I have about the Crimean war.
It is a given that troops often fire high. I stood by the Carter House at Franklin, where the Confederate breakthrough was stopped. Most of the bullet holes were above my head, very few below that.
The low muzzle velocity of the Minie ball (I know it was a conical bullet) gave the ball a steeply curved trajectory. (See Nosworthy and Hess)
The Russians fought almost strictly in column of companies, four companies (3 ranks each with file closers) deep (total of 12 ranks + 4 file closer ranks).
So if shots were going high but then some coming down in the rear ranks, this might explain the extremely high Russian casualties during the open field battles of this war. It was the worst formation to use against that weapon in particular, in some ways like the combination of Habsburg assault columns against the needle gun.
And that's my pet theory.