An account by Confederate Colonel William C. Oates claimed that Farnsworth was surrounded by Confederate soldiers and committed suicide to avoid capture, but this has been disputed by other witnesses and discounted by most historians.
En beretning fra sydstatsobersten William C. Oates hævdede, at Farnsworth var omringet af Sydstatssoldater og begik selvmord for ikke at blive taget til fange, men dette er blevet modsagt af andre vidner og afvises af de fleste historikere.