It wasn't his desire to do this. It was done under the orders of his superiors. On his side he carried a little red sack on his waist belt. Well, the sack was scarlet red, just like the officers' uniforms. That's where the saying comes from.
Children love stories like that, to understand what hides behind such simple sayings in life.
The guns have a touchhole and a pan. When the touchhole was stopped up, the spark could not get through, and the flash accomplished nothing. A worthless attempt that cannot accomplish the goal. Just like the misfire, makes a lot of smoke, but doesn't do anything. There are lots of terms like that where the true meanings and origins have been lost over time.