A while after the battle, the C.S.S Hunley surfaced the ocean and activated a blue light above the submarine. The blue light meant that the Hunley survived the attack and was coming back to base. The light or signal was noticed by the commander of one of the few Confederate batteries in the submarine harbor. But not only noticed by the Confederate winners, but by a lookout from the Housatonic who saw a "blue light" on the water after he heard that their ship was sunk. But before the C.S.S Hunley could return to base, the Confederates realized that their ship has disappeared. The Confederates suspected the Union that they had something to do with their ship being missing. The Union didn't respond, thus making them a even larger suspect. The Confederates and the Union had both lost, and won this battle, but most were just plain confused.