Signal lantern from Confederate sub conserved

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — A small lantern thought to have been used to signal from the Confederate submarine Hunley has been conserved.

But it leaves more questions about what happened that night in 1864 when the Hunley sank the Housatonic off Charleston Harbor, becoming the first sub in history to sink an enemy warship.

Both Union and Confederate accounts mention a blue light seen when the Housatonic was attacked. But the lantern lens is clear and scientists say they don’t think there ever was any sort of blue coating.

The mystery could be in naval terminology. Scientists say it seems at that time the term blue light referred to any sort of emergency light or flare – not simply light blue in color.

The Hunley sank before it could return from its mission.