HEATHER BOA Bullet News GODERICH – William “Tiger” Dunlop is often portrayed in this neck of the woods as a bit of a folk hero; a good-humoured, practical joker with fiery red hair who played a key role in the development of the Huron Tract.
Indeed, an 1896 social history In the Days of the Canada Company, by Robina and Kathleen Macfarlane Lizars, and novel Roughing it in the Bush, by Susanna Moodie, helped to shore up this image.
In this bicentennial year of the War of 1812, local historian Paul Carroll thought it was time to highlight Tiger’s important role in the military and in literary circles by publishing a serialized work by Tiger. He has published The “Tiger”: Soldier, Engineer and Army Surgeon, a 140-page book built around Recollection of the American War, written by Tiger in 1846 and first published in Montreal’s Literary Garland a year later. Carroll has added annotations, commentary and a brief biography.
“It has to be done. If it isn’t done, it’s lost. And this part of Dunlop’s life isn’t lost, but it’s certainly forgotten. And if it’s forgotten long enough, it’s going to get lost,” Carroll said.
Tiger came to Upper Canada during the War of 1812 as an assistant surgeon to the 89th Foot. He played a role in the assault on Fort Erie on Aug. 15, 1814. Three years later, he retired from the army and left Upper Canada. In 1826, he returned to help John Galt and the Canada Company settle 2.5 million acres of the Huron Tract. As the warden of woods and, he established a home, Gairbraid, north of Goderich, across the Maitland River.
The “Tiger”: Soldier, Engineer, and Army Surgeon is a story told in Tiger’s words, with punctuation inserted to break down lengthy sentences, headers to break up text, and photos inserted to help move the story along.
“I want it to be something for popular consumption that’s easy to read and tells the story about someone who is particularly important to our roots and our foundation in Huron County but also a man who was important in the larger scheme of things too to the whole of Upper Canada and in fact to the literary world of the 19th century,” he said.
It also includes a description of the last four years of Tiger’s life, after he was booted out of the Huron Tract and what’s today known as 
Huron County as a result of his outspoken nature and a number of high-handed decisions he made both at the local level and as a member of parliament. After his banishment from the area, Tiger went to Lachine, Quebec where he became superintendent of the Lachine canal.
“This is my contribution to helping us remember what happened 200 years ago,” Carroll said. “If it hadn’t been for a few isolated military events in the War of 1812, there wouldn’t be a Canada today. It was also seen as the first moments that defined what Canadians are. And it was a sort of coming together of the various immigrant groups who were in the country at the time to fend off a common enemy. And so it was a defining moment for the country,” he said.
The “Tiger”: Soldier, Engineer and Army Surgeon book launch takes place Sunday, Aug. 5, starting at 3 p.m., following the Colborne Cemetery Annual Memorial Service and the 175th Anniversary Gate Dedication. The book launch will be held at the Dunlop Tomb site. Either walk the Maitland Trail to the site, or take Hwy. 21 to Airport Road, turn south at River Ridge Road to the end. Special guests include Dr. “Tiger” Dunlop, Baron Vincent de Tuyle, Elizabeth Attrill and distinguished citizens of the day. Rain location is Huron County Museum. Books will be available at the pre-release price of $20.
One Comment on "New book highlights Tiger Dunlop’s role in War of 1812; launch Aug. 5"
I do hope that ATTRILL is present and then I will corner him and ask why he, ATRILL, destroyed the livelihood of Samuel Platt by destroying Platt’s dam on the Maitland that provided power to Platt’s mills where the 7th green is now at the Country Club and the whole thing ended up in the Supreme Court of Canada. Evidence that has been hidden for many years has now surfaced with the book Power of The Maitland to an extent that the ownership of the Maitland Golf Course is questionable. The GHOST of ATTRILL will be present and the GHOST of LAWSON, whose dam and sawmill were just below DUNLOP’S TOMB. Even as recent of last winter did hex of Lawson befell one who would dare go there.