Buster

[Jesse Sheidlower]

On Fri, Feb 21, 2003 at 10:18:58PM -0600, Greg Pulliam wrote:
> Roger Ebert's review of "Gods and Generals" in the _Sun-Times_ today
> claimed that the film's nicknaming of one soldier as "Buster" was an
> anachronism, on grounds that the name originated with Buster Keaton.
>
> Does anyone know if Ebert's claim about the origin of Buster is true?

Since HDAS has an 1866 cite for _buster_ in this sense, I'd have to
say no.

Jesse Sheidlower
OED