1840s Atlantic hurricane seasons
IV. In October, a major hurricane, likely a Category 5, moved through the Caribbean Sea. It struck western Cuba on October 10, and hit the Florida Keys on the 11th, destroying the old Key West lighthouse and Fort Taylor. It headed northward, and on the 13th, it hit Tampa Bay as a major hurricane. As it approached, it sucked the water out of the bay, causing the Manatee River to be so low you could walk a horse across it. The hurricane moved across Florida, and remained inland over Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina. It moved up the Chesapeake Bay, causing extensive damage through Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania. It caused around 163 deaths, and brought damage throughout the areas it affected. It is known as the Great Havana Hurricane.