Remember at that time the only cavalry to scout for you. Signals were sent by semaphore and telegraph. That would take hours for a message to be received by field commanders if at all. Cavalry patrols would be screening infantry on the move. Killing or capturing enemy scouts. read more
So you can immediately forget about most modern infantry tactics working. Dispersed infantry simply has insufficient weight of fire and will fall apart when charged by bayonet infantry in formation, cavalry (which was still a factor, albeit greatly reduced in potency by precisely “stupid” napoleonic tactics), etc. read more