[Ads-l] General Winter 90-year antedating

[Jonathan Lighter]

OED: 1966 (Yep.)

The earlier phrase, translated from French was “General January and General
February.”

1877_Good Things: A Picturesque Magazine for Boys and Girls_VII 313: Ah,
[Napoleon] was a brave man, the conqueror, to leave his men to General
Winter and us Cossacks. Between us, we finished them.

1904_Inter-Ocean_ (Chicago) (Sept. 4)( Magazine Section) 8: THE MARCH
THROUGH THIBET …We have overcome General Winter in the heart of his icy
solitudes.

1908 _Washington Post_ (Nov. 29,) 16:  Both Germany and Austria are now
turning the vials of their wrath against England. …’General Winter’ may be
depended upon to keep the peace for three months.

1914 _*Times-Picayune* _ (Nov. 24) 1: ’GENERAL WINTER’ ATTACKS GERMANS
Troops in Belgium Suffering Severely from the Cold, Report Says …Nov. 23
…There are clear indications that ‘General November’ will take a leading
part in the operations along the front by the Yser river.


JL
-- 
"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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