ag.algebraic geometry - Frobenius Descent

Let $S$ be a scheme of positive characteristic $p$ and $X$ a smooth $S$-scheme. Let $F:Xrightarrow X^{(p)}$ denote the relative Frobenius. A result by Cartier (often called Cartier descent or Frobenius descent) then states that the category of quasi-coherent $mathcal{O}_{X^{(p)}}$-modules is equivalent to the category of quasi-coherent $mathcal{O}_X$-modules $(E,nabla)$ with integrable connection of $p$-curvature $0$ (which means $nabla(D)^p-nabla(D^p)=0$ for all $S$-derivations $D:mathcal{O}_Xrightarrow mathcal{O}_X$).
The equivalence is given by

$$ (E,nabla)longmapsto E^nabla$$

and

$$ Emapsto (F^*E,nabla^{can})$$

where $nabla^{can}$ is the canonical connection locally given by $fotimes smapsto (1otimes s)otimes df$, for

$$fotimes sin mathcal{O}_X(U)otimes E(U).$$
(tensor over the sections of the structure sheaf of $X^{(p)}$, somehow jtex can't handle that)

The proof of this theorem can be found in 5.1. in Katz' paper "Nilpotent connections and the monodromy theorem"

My question is: As $X/S$ is smooth, the relative Frobenius is faithfully flat (at least it is if $S$ is the spectrum of a perfect field), can the above theorem be interpreted as an instance of faithfully flat descent along $F$? In other words, does the connection $nabla$ give rise to a descent datum for $E$ with respect to $F$?

I know that connections are "first-order descent data", i.e. modules with connection descend along first order thickenings, but I don't see how this applies here.