![Grand Port mg6981](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Grand_Port_mg6981.jpg)
Striking the colors—meaning lowering the flag (the "
colors
Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are associa ...
") that signifies a ship's or garrison's allegiance—is a universally recognized indication of
surrender
Surrender may refer to:
* Surrender (law), the early relinquishment of a tenancy
* Surrender (military), the relinquishment of territory, combatants, facilities, or armaments to another power
Film and television
* ''Surrender'' (1927 film), an ...
, particularly for ships at sea. For a ship, surrender is dated from the time the
ensign
An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...
is struck.
In international law
"Colours. A national flag (or a
battle ensign
A battle ensign is the name given to a large war ensign (flag) hoisted on a warship's mast just before going into battle.
In what could become a very confusing situation with thick clouds of gunsmoke the ensign gave additional identificatio ...
). The colours . . . are hauled down as a token of submission."
International law absolutely requires a
ship of war to fly its ensign at the commencement of any hostile acts, i.e., before firing on the enemy. During battle there is no purpose in striking the colors other than to indicate surrender.
It was and is an offense to continue to fight after striking one's colors, and an offense to continue to fire on an enemy after she has struck her colors, unless she indicates by some other action, such as continuing to fire or seeking to escape, that she has not truly surrendered. For this reason, striking the colors is conclusive evidence of a surrender having taken place in the case of a warship, but not in the case of a merchant ship. What would be
perfidy in the case of a warship is not in the case of a merchant ship: A merchant ship may strike its colors as a
ruse de guerre in an attempt to escape capture, since it does not engage the enemy in combat.
In distinction to striking one's colors, hoisting a
white flag
White flags have had different meanings throughout history and depending on the locale.
Contemporary use
The white flag is an internationally recognized protective sign of truce or ceasefire, and for negotiation. It is also used to symbolize ...
, in itself, is not an indication of surrender. Rather, hoisting a white flag indicates a request for a
truce in order to communicate with the enemy. Under the
Geneva Conventions
upright=1.15, Original document in single pages, 1864
The Geneva Conventions are four treaties, and three additional protocols, that establish international legal standards for humanitarian treatment in war. The singular term ''Geneva Conve ...
, persons carrying or waving a white flag are still not to be fired upon, nor are they allowed to open fire.
Understood meaning
Nailing the colors to the mast is a traditional sign of defiance, indicating that the colors will never be struck, that the ship will never surrender. On 23 September 1779, Capt.
Richard Pearson of
HMS ''Serapis'', nailed the British ensign to the ensign staff with his own hands before going into battle against
Continental Navy ship ''
Bonhomme Richard''. He had to tear it down himself when surrendering.
During the same battle, ''Bonhomme Richards ensign was shot away. When Pearson saw that the colors were down, he asked Capt.
John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones (born John Paul; July 6, 1747 July 18, 1792) was a Scottish-American naval captain who was the United States' first well-known naval commander in the American Revolutionary War. He made many friends among U.S political elites ( ...
of ''Bonhomme Richard'' if Jones had struck his colors. Jones has been quoted as replying, "I have not yet begun to fight".
In 1807, when the captain of United States frigate
''Chesapeake'' refused to permit officers of
HMS ''Leopard'' to search her for deserters from the Royal Navy, ''Leopard'' ranged alongside ''Chesapeake'' and fired into her for ten minutes until ''Chesapeake'' struck her colors as a token of surrender. The British refused to accept the ship as a prize of war, the two nations being at peace. Log of U.S.
frigate ''Chesapeake'': "Having one Gun ready fired and haul'd down our Colours. the ''Leopard'' ceased firing and sent her Boat on board."
In 1811, while the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
and
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It i ...
were at peace with each other, U.S. frigate
''President'' engaged HM sloop of war ''Little Belt''.
John Rodgers John Rodgers may refer to:
Military
* John Rodgers (1728–1791), colonel during the Revolutionary War and owner of Rodgers Tavern, Perryville, Maryland
* John Rodgers (naval officer, born 1772), U.S. naval officer during the War of 1812, first ...
, Captain of ''President'' reported to the
Secretary of the Navy
The secretary of the Navy (or SECNAV) is a statutory officer () and the head (chief executive officer) of the Department of the Navy, a military department (component organization) within the United States Department of Defense.
By law, the se ...
, that "when perceiving our opponent's Gaff & Colours down . . . I . . . embraced the earliest moment to stop our fire and prevent the further effusion of blood."
On 29 July 1812, at the start of the
War of 1812
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States, United States of America and its Indigenous peoples of the Americas, indigenous allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom ...
, Lt.
William M. Crane, USN, commanding officer of U.S.
brig ''Nautilus'', reported his capture by a British squadron in these words: "the chasing ship put her helm up hoisted a broad pendant and English colours and ranged under my lee quarter—unable to resist I was compelled to strike the Flag of the United States."
Captain
David Porter, USN, of U.S.
frigate ''Essex'' reported the capture of HM brig ''Alert'' on 13 August 1812 in these words: "He avoided the dreadful consequences that our broad side would in a few moments have produced by prudentially striking his colours."
On 19 August 1812, U.S. frigate
''Constitution'' chased a large vessel. Captain
Isaac Hull, USN, reported that "As we bore up she hoisted an English Ensign at the Mizen Gaff, another in the Mizen Shrouds, and a Jack at the Fore, and MizentopGallant mast heads." After the ships had engaged each other, Hull looked to see if the enemy ship, which proved to be HM frigate
''Guerriere'', had surrendered by striking its colors: "not knowing whither the Enemy had struck, or not, we stood off for about half an hour, to repair our Braces, and such other rigging, as had been shot away, and wore around to return to the Enemy, it being now dark we could not see whether she had any colours, flying or not, but could discover that she had raised a small flag Staff or Jury mast forward. I ordered a Boat hoisted out, and sent Lieutenant Reed on board as a flag
f truceto see whether she had surrendered or not." Captain
James Richard Dacres, RN, of ''Guerriere'' reported the surrender in these words: "When calling my few remaining officers together, they were all of opinion that any further resistance would be a needless waste of lives, I order'd, though reluctantly, the Colours to be struck."
The Journal of
HMS ''Poictiers'' reports the capture of U.S. sloop of war
''Wasp'' on 18 October 1812 as follows: "Fired Several Shot at the chase, Observed
hase
The Hase is a long river of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is a right tributary of the Ems, but part of its flow goes to the Else, that is part of the Weser basin. Its source is in the Teutoburg Forest, south-east of Osnabrück, on the north slope ...
hoist American Colours, . . . Shortnd sail, the chase having Struck her colours."
Captain
William Bainbridge
William Bainbridge (May 7, 1774July 27, 1833) was a Commodore in the United States Navy. During his long career in the young American Navy he served under six presidents beginning with John Adams and is notable for his many victories at sea. ...
, USN, reported the surrender of HM frigate ''Java'' to USS ''Constitution'' on 29 December 1812 by the following minutes taken during the action: "At 4.5
'clockHaving silenced the fire of the enemy completely and his colours in main Rigging being
own
Ownership is the state or fact of legal possession and control over property, which may be any asset, tangible or intangible. Ownership can involve multiple rights, collectively referred to as title, which may be separated and held by different ...
Supposed he had Struck, Then hawl'd about the Courses to shoot ahead to repair our rigging, which was extremely cut, leaving the enemy a complete wreck, soon after discovered that The enemies flag was still flying hove too to repair Some of our damages. At 4.20
'clockThe Enemies Main Mast went by the board. At 4.50
ore
Ore is natural rock or sediment that contains one or more valuable minerals, typically containing metals, that can be mined, treated and sold at a profit.Encyclopædia Britannica. "Ore". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 7 Apr ...
ship and stood for the Enemy. At 5.25
'clockGot very close to the enemy in a very
ffectiveraking position, athwart his bows & was at the very instance of raking him, when he most prudently Struck his Flag." Lt. Henry D. Chads, RN, of ''Java'', reported her surrender thus: "At 5:50 our Colours were lowered from the Stump of the Mizen Mast and we were taken possession a little after 6."
U.S. sloop of war
''Hornet'' engaged HM brig sloop ''Peacock'' on 24 February 1813. Badly damaged and sinking, ''Peacock'', as a sign of surrender, lowered her ensign, and as an additional sign of distress, hoisted an ensign union down from the fore rigging. Her main mast fell shortly after this signal of surrender. Her senior surviving officer thought it necessary to give an additional sign of surrender since her ensign had fallen into the water. He wrote, "I was compelled . . . to wave my Hat in acknowledgement of having struck the Ensign having fallen with the Gaff into the Water."
[.]
References
Footnotes
Works cited
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*''Most of the information for this article was obtained from the
Naval Historical Center
The Naval History and Heritage Command, formerly the Naval Historical Center, is an Echelon II command responsible for the preservation, analysis, and dissemination of U.S. naval history and heritage located at the historic Washington Navy Yard. ...
and is in the
public domain
The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work to which no exclusive intellectual property rights apply. Those rights may have expired, been forfeited, expressly waived, or may be inapplicable. Because those rights have expired, ...
.''
Flag practices
Nautical terminology
Ensigns
Maritime culture
de:Flagge#Hissen und Streichen der Flagge
{{US government sources