Oliver,
Marshal Davout esimated in 1811 that the frontage of a section is equal to 8 meters or 12 paces (the "metric" French pace is 2/3 of a meter).
Two sections is a peloton of 99 men in three ranks. So, according to marshal's estimation, one man occupied about 0.5 meter in the rank.

https://dlib.rsl.ru/viewer/01003959797#?page=157

Best wishes,
Alexander