author
William Dunlop
1792–1848
A larger-than-life Scottish doctor and storyteller, he turned military service, frontier life, and colonial politics into vivid writing that still feels full of character. Best known as “Tiger” Dunlop, he left behind lively sketches of Upper Canada and remembered episodes from the War of 1812.
1 Audiobook
Recollections of the War of 1812
by William Dunlop
About the author
Born in Greenock, Scotland, in 1792, William "Tiger" Dunlop trained in medicine before serving as an army surgeon. His life ranged widely: he spent time in Canada during the War of 1812, later traveled in India, and eventually became closely tied to the early development of Upper Canada.
As a writer, he is remembered for energetic, humorous prose shaped by first-hand experience. His published work includes Statistical Sketches of Upper Canada, for the Use of Emigrants, and his recollections of the War of 1812 helped preserve a personal view of that conflict. Contemporary and later accounts also remembered him as a vivid talker and raconteur, which fits the lively tone of his writing.
Dunlop died in 1848. Alongside his work as a physician, public figure, and politician, his literary reputation rests on the sharp, anecdotal style that earned him the nickname "Tiger" and made him a memorable voice in early Canadian writing.