The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-02-08
CAPTAIN MONTAGUE
WINS HONOR CROSS
UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO
STUDENT DECORATED FOR
BRAVERY IN FRANCE

The Genesee News of this week
contains the following very interest
ing account of the honor bestowed
upon a former University of Idaho
man and a citizen of Latah county,
where he had lived since childhood
The article, with two letters from
the young man who has many friends
and admirers here, follows:
James R. Montague is in receipt
of very interesting letter from his
son, Capt. R. M. Montague, written
under recent date from Germany.
The following is the text of the letter:
ut seems quite pleasant to at last
be able to write from Germany, our
ultimate aim. 1t is nice to have COM
pleted the job before us, and guess
we have. However, had any one told
me month and half ago that we
would be crossing the Rhine the
twelfth | would have had difficult
time making myself agree with him.
But regardless of my thoughts then,
we are here now and so it is goodby
Germany. Germany went-and when
she did go, she went exactly the way
we predicted-all in a heap.
Around four years and half ago
our enemy set out to conquer the
world and today she it at the absolute
mercy of it. Such would almost
seem impossible The ex-kaiser and
murderer of women and babies has
undoubtedly made a name for him
self that will be remembered with
hatred and left Germany in an awful
mess-and l certainly do hope they
will execute him.
eve are not far from Coblenz and
only a short distance from the Rhine.
The march up was long and dis
agreeable one, due to the bad weather,
but nevertheless one we'll worth MAX
ing.
"Just learned that the Croix de
Guerre, which was recommended for
in Chateau Thierry, and which had
will be here in a day or so.
wish you could see the fine coal
black horse ] have now. He is about
the sixth different horse and the best
one | have had assigned to me. He
is a very good trotter and a fast
walker and has plenty Of endurance.
Il can imagine how you people in
the States felt when the news of the
armistice reached you. 1t was quite
a surprise, wasn't it? Heard it cost
New York $4,000 to get the streets
cleaned the next day. =
eve are having weather which is
characteristic of this season of the
year, except that no snow has fallen
up to date and it is not cold. Are
you getting everything in the way of
winter in Genesee this year? .,
''It will be year the 9th of this
month since | landed in France. We
at Saint-Nazaire and the
same day boarded train and rode to
our training area which was near
place called Damblain. The ride on
the train was just the opposite from
a pleasant one as it was very cold and
there were no stoves in the box cars.
Those conditions have been lived
through, so all we have to do it to
recall them and smile 1t was then
a case of grin-and-bear-it. We knew,
however, that in time the laugh would
be on the other fellow, and that came
5he 18th of last month and now the
Germans must grin-and- d-bear-it." R.
VI. Montague, Captain, U. S. M. C.
Mr.. Montague has received letter
rom his son under more recent date
n which he writes:
Along with my other duties | am
summary courts Marshal officer OF
,ur battalion and Inferior Provost
Court officer for the town we are in,
The latter is for trying minor of
enses against laws of our military
government. Fortunately l have not
lad to try any of the civil population
hus far. As for the Summary court,
AVE finished all cases that were
'rought before me this morning.
"Our second division continues to
'e on the job as usual, though we are
lot so active at present as we have
een in the past. We are merely sit
ing on the world, as it were.
"Was decorated the other day with
Croix de Guerre by our commands
lg general The ceremony was very
Captain Montague has host of
riends in Geneseey where he grew to
and also at the University
Idaho, where he was educated, who
i'll be pleased and proud to learn of
is success in the military field His
lllitary training, until he enlisted
18th the marines in the world war,
as obtained at the University of
laho and his success speaks well for
lie training given at our leading state