Striking the colors Striking the colors , meaning to lower the flag ( the " colors " ) which signifies a ship ' s or garrison ' s allegiance , is a universally recognized indication of surrender , particularly for ships at sea . For a ship , surrender is dated from the time the ensign is struck . In international law . " Colors . A national flag ( or a battle ensign ) . The colors . . . 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 he indicates by some other action , such as continuing to fire or seeking to escape , that he has not truly surrendered . It is for this reason that Raphael Semmes spoke with bitter sarcasm about USS " Kearsarges continuing to fire after CSS " Alabama " had struck her colors in their 1864 duel . ( Contemporary sources aboard the " Kearsarge " reported that at least one of the " Alabamas guns continued firing after the Confederate commerce raider had struck her colors ) . 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 , 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 , 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 , RN , 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 Richard " ' s ensign was shot away . When Pearson saw that the colors were down , he asked Capt . John Paul Jones 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 and Great Britain were at peace with each other , U . S . frigate " President " engaged HM sloop of war " Little Belt " . John Rodgers , Captain of " President " reported to the Secretary of the Navy , 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 , Lt . William M . Crane , USN , commanding officer of U . S . brig " Nautilus " , reported his capture by a British squadron in these words : " the chaseing 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 [ of truce ] to 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 [ chase ] hoist American Colours , . . . Shortnd sail , the chase having Struck her colours . " Captain William Bainbridge , 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 [ o ' clock ] Having silenced the fire of the enemy completely and his colours in main Rigging being [ down ] 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 [ o ' clock ] The Enemies Main Mast went by the board . At 4 . 50 [ Wore ] ship and stood for the Enemy . At 5 . 25 [ o ' clock ] Got very close to the enemy in a very [ effective ] raking 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 . " Ibid . , pp . 646 – 649 . 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 . "