Nailing the colours

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Nailing the colours" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Nailing the colours (also nailing the colours to the mast or nailing the flag) is a practice dating back to the Age of Sail that expresses a defiant refusal to surrender, and willingness to fight to the last man.

During the Age of Sail, ships would legally fight only while flying their national flag. Flying another flag was considered to be a legitimate

was a sign of surrender. Indeed, when shot or shrapnel felled a ship's flag (such as by severing the halyard that held it up), her opponent would cease firing and inquire whether she was capitulating.

In contrast, fixing the battle ensign with nails would prevent it from being removed easily, and effectively prevented the surrender. It became an expression of defiance and willingness to force oneself to fight up to the bitter end.

The practice became a powerful and recurrent propaganda tool during the

became famous for the deed.

See also

• Striking the colours
• With flying colours
• Battle of Mobile Bay, section "Farragut lashed to the rigging"

References

External links

• Nail your colours to the mast, The Phrase Finder