John D . Winters John David Winters ( December 23 , 1916 – December 9 , 1997 ) was a historian at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston , Louisiana . He is best known for his definitive and award - winning study , " The Civil War in Louisiana " , which was published in 1963 and released in paperback in 1991 . It is still in print to this day . Background . Winters was born to John David Winters , Sr . ( 1891 – 1944 ) , and the former Estrella Fancher ( 1890 – 1958 ) in rural McCool in Attala County in central Mississippi . He was reared in Lake Providence , the seat of East Carroll Parish in northeastern Louisiana . His parents are interred at Lake Providence Cemetery . He earned the Bachelor of Arts , Master of Arts , and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge . He served in the Pacific Theatre of World War II , but his obituary does not list the branch of service . Marriage and family . On January 26 , 1952 , he wed the former Frances Locke ( 1921 – 2006 ) in her native Ashdown in Little River County in southwestern Arkansas . Academic career . Winters , who did not use the designation " Jr . , " was professor of history at Louisiana Tech from 1948 until his retirement in 1984 . " The Civil War in Louisiana " . As the Louisiana Tech acquisitions librarian from 1948 – 1984 , Mrs . Winters assisted her husband in writing " The Civil War in Louisiana . " The project that required years of extensive research in various historical records and Winters acknowledged his wife ' s assistance . " The Civil War in Louisiana " won the 1963 Louisiana Literary Award presented by the Louisiana Library Association and the 1964 " Special Merit Book Award " from the Greater Louisiana Tech Foundation . Winters estimates that three thousand free black s volunteered for militia duty in Louisiana by 1862 , but the historians Lawrence L . Hewitt and Arthur W . Bergeron in their " Louisianians in the Civil War " claim that his number is too high . They estimate that no more than two thousand participated . Fifteen free blacks are documented by Hewitt and Bergeron as having joined the Confederate Army as private s . The three most prominent instances of such volunteers were in St . Landry Parish in south Louisiana . Criticism . Winters ' work has been criticized . Clarence L . Mohr of the University of Georgia wrote in 1974 of " The Civil War in Louisiana " : " Winters ' discussions , however , are characterized by frequent mentions of the ' Negro problem , ' allusions to sexual indiscretions by ' colored wenches ' and attempts by Union soldiers to ' lure ' slaves away from their masters . . . The author ' s perspective is further revealed in his description of black conduct in areas occupied and later evacuated by Federal troops during General Nathaniel P . Banks ' Red River expedition in 1863 . ' Some [ Negroes ] ' writes Winters , ' refused to work and were shot ; some were soundly thrashed ; and all of them began to act better . ' " Historical career . From 1977 until his retirement in 1984 , Winters was the first recipient and holder of the Garnie W . McGinty Chair of History , named for the former Louisiana Tech history department chairman . In 1991 , Winters was named Louisiana Tech professor emeritus . Louisiana Tech honored Winters by naming an " Endowed Professorship in History " after him . In 1980 , Winters and Danelle Bradford co - authored " Seventy - Eight Years of Football at Louisiana Tech " in the " North Louisiana Historical Association Journal " , since renamed " North Louisiana History " . Winters also wrote an article on the Ouachita and Black rivers of Louisiana . Post - retirement . In 1994 , Winters participated in an interview for the Centennial Oral History Collection at Louisiana Tech . In this hour - long conversation , he discusses varied experiences on the campus , the effects of desegregation in the 1960s , the influence of the Korean and Vietnam War s , and his participation in the Louisiana Tech - Rome studies program . Professional and civic activities . In 1968 , Winters was elected president of the Louisiana Historical Association , now based in Lafayette . He was named a fellow by the association in 1993 . He was also active in other historical societies . Winters served on the board of directors for the Ruston Community Theatre and the Louisiana Tech Concert Association . He was a past president of the Ruston Civic Symphony . Death . Winters died at Lincoln General Hospital in Ruston at the age of eighty . He was survived by his wife Frances and two sisters - in - law , Doris M . Winters ( 1917 – 2004 ) of Lake Providence and Elizabeth Winters of Garland , Texas . He was predeceased by two brothers , one of whom was Doris ' husband , Henry F . Winters ( 1915 – 1987 ) . Frances Winters died some eight years after the death of John Winters . They were cremated . His memorial service was held on December 11 , 1997 , at Trinity United Methodist Church in Ruston .