Within days of Lorenzo Thomas' speech in Helena on April 6, 1863, enough freedmen enlisted to fill a regiment of 1,000 men, with many already in Helena and others coming from Confederate-controlled areas outside the city; some, including Aaron Hurvey and Burrill Eastman, escaped from their owners in Mississippi, crossed the Mississippi River, and came to Helena to enlist. As in every place Thomas spoke, black men were eager to fight for the Union because they knew the Union had to win the war if they were to keep the freedom guaranteed by the Emancipation Proclamation. The 2nd and 4th Arkansas Infantries of African Descent, later designated the 54th and 57th U.S. Colored Infantries, respectively, filled within weeks, and before the Civil War ended, 5,526 black men joined the Union Army in Arkansas. Three months later, the 2nd Arkansas Infantry of African Descent, not yet officially mustered into service, defended Helena in the Battle of Helena. The 54th U.S. Colored Infantry was later ordered to Fort Smith, Arkansas, saw action at Fort Gibson and Cabin Creek, Oklahoma, in September 1864 and Cow Creek, Kansas, that November, then was ordered to Little Rock in January 1865, saw action on the Arkansas River, and remained garrisoned at Little Rock and at various points in the Department of Arkansas until December 1866. The 57th U.S. Colored Infantry was attached to the District of Eastern Arkansas and posted to garrison duty at Helena and Little Rock until August 1864; in 1864, all or parts of the regiment participated in the Camden Expedition, took part in a skirmish near Little Rock, and joined operations against Confederate General Jo Shelby north of the Arkansas River. The regiment was then posted to De Valls Bluff and Little Rock until June 1865 and afterward served at various points in the Department of Arkansas guarding property and on post duty until December 1866.