[3] Shepard sometimes conducted his medical affairs on horseback while working out of a tent and treated his patients regardless of their religion and ethnicity.

The siege, which was later known as the Zeitun Rebellion, occurred when the Armenians of the village, fearing the prospect of massacre, took up arms to defend themselves from Ottoman troops.

The Young Turks, who are struggling for the welfare of their beloved country, know well how to appreciate the services even of those generous persons though of foreign birth.

It was my humble duty to reach to the help of my wretched country; and I thank you for the sentiment which you will arouse toward the Ottoman Empire in America.

Thanking you again for your prayers and favors, I remain, as ever, Your sincere friend, Governor General of Adana, Djemal Pasha.

[11] Shepard secured provisions for the destitute Armenians and received a medal for his work from the Sultan and a congratulatory letter from Djemal Pasha, the governor general of Adana.

[14] Alice Shepard Riggs describes the event as follows: When the wave of deportation had reached, and swept over, the neighboring towns and was threatening Aintab, Dr. Shepard made a strong appeal to the Vali [Governor General] of the province of Aleppo, and this official, who was a righteous man, firmly prevented the action being carried out.

Another righteous man of another town refused to send out the innocent people of his city, saying, "You may deport me and my family, if you will, but I will not carry out these orders."

[16] Meanwhile, he also received assurances that the Catholic and Protestant Armenians would not be deported, as written by Alice Shepard Riggs: Having failed in his efforts to save all, and brokenhearted at the thought of this final tragedy.

Five days later he wrote that the Imperial Government had graciously granted immunity from deportation to the Protestant and Catholic Armenians.

[17]However, when he returned to Antep, he had learned that the assurances were not fulfilled and the Catholic and Protestant Armenians were deported and killed along with the Apostolic.

[18] In a report to Henry Morgenthau, the American Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Shepard described the deportations of the Armenians in and around the village of Zeitun while also requesting that aid should be provided "until they get established in their new surroundings," since in a matter of months "two-thirds or three-fourths of them will die of starvation and disease.