Their columns united at Hagerstown the next day.

Thus supported, Ewell's main body resumed its march to Carlisle, which it occupied on the 27th; gathering large supplies there and along the road by means of foraging parties sent out to depredate on the farmers.

As soon as they reached the town, Jenkins' brigade left for Harrisburg.
Hooker having now satisfied himself that the Capital was safe from a _coup-de-main_, and that the main body of the rebels were still marching up the Cumberland Valley, determined to move in a parallel line on the east side of South Mountain, where he could occupy the gaps at once, in case the enemy turned east, toward Washington and Baltimore.

To carry out this design his army began to cross the Potomac at Edwards' Ferry on the 25th, and at night Reynolds' corps was in front and Sickles' corps in rear of Middletown, in readiness to hold either Crampton's or Turner's Gap.

Howard's corps was thrown forward to Boonsborough.
On the 26th Slocum's corps was sent to Harper's Ferry to act in conjunction with the garrison there--supposed to be 10,000 strong -- against the enemy's line of communication with Richmond.