OXFORD – On a cold, rainy night Wednesday, 47 sixth-graders and their leaders staged a Civil War-era encampment behind Oxford Elementary School, spending the night in tents as part of their social studies lesson.

“I’m wearing long johns and my mom’s bringing my pillow over,” said Julie DiFazio, who played Mary Todd Lincoln. Garbed in a long purple velvet dress and black sequined vest, which was her aunt’s wedding dress, DiFazio pitched in with the other girls to get their tent up.

Among the other notable figures portrayed were Union Gen. Ulysses Grant, Union superintendent of nursing Dorothea Dix of Maine, and Union Maj. Gen. Joshua Chamberlain of Maine.

The re-enactment was devised by their teacher, Justin Stygles, who got the idea some time ago when his mentor teacher brought a covered wagon to school while teaching about the Oregon Trail.

“I had this crazy idea,” said Stygles. “I tried to talk myself out of it but decided to bite the bullet and see what happened.”

Although the day turned out to be cold and rainy, they enthusiastically pitched tents Wednesday night.

“It’s absolutely crazy. The kids have done hours of research,” Stygles said, studying their character giving presentations on the field before their classmates before enjoying a beef stew supper.

DiFazio said she was fascinated by Lincoln and what she endured in her lifetime, and her unswerving loyalty to the Union despite her southern roots.

“I didn’t even think they should have had a war,” she said. “They all had different opinions. They could have resolved them by meeting up and deciding what to do to stop it.”

Casey McKenney played the role of surgeon Mary Edwards Walker and explained how to remove a limb on the battlefield.

“I like being a nurse,” the 12-year-old said.

Randy Bosquet researched the role of Union Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside, and along with others playing high-ranking officials, displayed how they planned their positions in the battles. Improvisation was required because weapons are barred from school grounds, he said.

Parents and students sewed the uniforms or improvised them. Dennis Sanborn, who played Gen. Grant, tailored his costume from an old “Men in Black” Halloween costume. A few gold stars and tassels and he was ready to go.

The encampment was scheduled to end Thursday at 5 a.m. when two bugle calls would sound and the students would do a little more marching before breakfast and breaking down the camp on the playground.