eight o'clock
As soon as we joined the fleet we became amenable to fleet discipline . All orders for routine work came from the flagship . `` Quarters '' were held but twice a day instead of three times , and then they were short and , therefore , sweet . Each morning at eight o'clock , when a war vessel is in port , the bugler plays `` colors , '' while the drummer beats three rolls ; those of the crew who are under the open sky stand at attention , silent , facing aft , where the flag is being hauled slowly to its place . At the completion of the call all hands salute ; then the work is carried on . It is a beautiful ceremony . Saluting the `` colors '' morning and evening is not merely a mark of respect for the Government of the nation , but is an act of worship to the God of nations -- a silent prayer for guidance and care and an expression of thankfulness .