I recently came upon the statement that flintlock pistols during the 1700s were accurate only out to a range of 20ft. If sections of lined up infantry engaged at greater distances then what was the point of officers being issued flintlock pistols?
Generally, a pistol in the 18th and early 19th centuries were meant for self protection, not proper fighting.
A musket is meant to be effective at a range of about eight to a hundred meters whereas a pistol is effective to about twenty meters. However, pistols were more useful because they would be assigned to cavalry soldiers that would often carry two to four loaded pistols for the purpose of self defense. They would ride into battle and shoot enemy cavalry or infantry that dared get close to them.
In both instances, the pistol is a weapon of self defense rather than offense like a musket.