Editing Pyotr Bagration (section)

===Initial assault===
[[File:The Finnish war map1.svg|thumb|Outbreak of the Finnish War in February 1808]]
During the [[Finnish War]] from 1808 to 1809 Bagration commanded the 21st division of the Russian forces under Buxhoeveden. Not wanting to wait until Sweden had concentrated a large army in Finland, The Russian Empire took initiative and decided to take action. On the night of 9 (21) September (February 1808) Russian troops crossed the border to Finland and launched an offensive. Bagration's 21st division was forming the Russian centre and moving ahead to quickly seize [[Hämeenlinna]], [[Tampere]] and [[Pori]]. Under the pressure of the swift advance, the Swedish forces began a hasty retreat to the depths of Finland and were pursued relentlessly. Bagration's men had to endure worst weather conditions, severe frost, snowstorms and forest debris. Also, the retreating Swedes were constructing obstacles and destroyed any possible food source as well as roads. Nevertheless, Bagration's division overcame those obstacles and took all objectives, Hämeenlinna on 22 February (6 March), Tampere on 1 March (13) and Pori on 6 (18) March 1808. Bagration managed to advance over a distance of 200&nbsp; km and capture three cities in just eight days and securing the way to the Gulf of Bothnia. His manoeuvre split the Swedish forces in two, a northern and southern group, providing the Russians with the possibility to strike each group one after another. Bagration correctly assessed the situation that the main Swedish force was in the north and intended to turn his division for an attack. But the commander in chief Buxhoveden foiled that plan by miscalculating the situation and assaulting the southern Swedish group, which had itself fortified in numerous fortifications, with his superior force, including the 21st division of Bagration. This allowed the main Swedish force to retreat unharmed to [[Oulu]]. Despite that Bagration, himself still achieved success by capturing the strategically important [[Turku]] province. In September 1808 Bagration became ill and was forced to leave the theatre of operation. He was keenly interested in the events and hastily returned as soon as he became fit for service again. Upon arrival he was appointed commander of the Russian forces defending the west coast of Finland.<ref name="militera.lib.ru">{{citation |contribution=Финляндский поход [Finlyandskiy poked; Finland Campaign] |contribution-url=http://militera.lib.ru/bio/rostunov_ii/03.html |title=Военная Литература ''[''Voyennaya Literatura; Military Literature'']'' |url=http://militera.lib.ru |language=ru}}</ref>